Growth is Not Equal to Hitting Your Goals

“If you focus on goals you may hit your goals, but it doesn’t guarantee growth. If you focus on growth, you will grow and you will meet your goals.”

I love this quote from John Maxwell (the famous American business author.)

For the metrics-obsessed in sales, take note of how Maxwell uses growth in this context. It’s qualitative. Not quantitative.

If you think growth is solely a numeric goal to be attained then you’ve just put a cap on your own growth.

This is why quota is such a poor measure of potential.

Goodhart’s Law states that when a measure becomes a target, it loses all value as a measure.

The reason for this is that people optimize their processes to achieve their target. Which is self-limiting.

So, the most pressing question for you is not how much do you want to sell next year.

Instead, you should ask yourself how much do you want to grow next year?

How do you want to expand your capabilities? What do you need to learn in order to become the very best version of you?

Brian Tracy (via Earl Nightingale) says:

“…if you read one book per week, 50 books per year, that will make you one of the best educated, smartest, most capable and highest paid people in your field. Regular reading will transform your life completely.”

You notice how he didn’t say if you make one more call per day or send one more email that you’ll become tops in your field.

Growth is not about doing more of what you already do.

It’s all about what you are learning that will transform the quality of your work.

Want to amp up your productivity?

Then make growth your priority. Learn more. Read more. Think more. Earn more.

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