Francis Chan stated so eloquently stated,”Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” The depth of truth in that statement gives me goose-bumps. Oh how often we find ourselves, succeeding at the things we are good at and never pushing ourselves try different and greater things that will really matter in our lives, our companies and our relationships.
There is a difference in achieving something that took a lot of effort and achieving something that is meaningful, great, and lasting. I have thought about this and wondered how can I determine if a goal I have really matters.
Avoiding Meaningless Goals & Meaningless Leadership
Work through the following steps, to determine if a goal you have is really meaningful and to avoid meaningless leadership in your organization:
- Will this goal contribute to my long-term success?
- Will achieving this goal make me (a better leader, a better spouse, a better manager….etc…)?
- Talk with friends, coaches, family, subordinates and colleagues and ask them if the goal you are making is meaningful and really matters. This is especially important if your goal effects them.
- Ask yourself, if nothing held me back, is there a goal that is higher on the same ladder that will be more meaningful? Don’t short-change yourself by not pushing hard enough.
These steps, while simple will push you beyond a stretch. Meaningful often means harder, but not necessarily, but the rewards are hugely greater if you achieve a meaningful goal and create meaningful leadership successes. It is better to work hard and fail inches from a hard meaningful goal, than to succeed at tiny meaningless goals.
So don’t be afraid of the “F” word, FAILURE, be afraid of setting meaningless goals for yourself or your organization, for with meaningless goals, comes meaningless leadership.
Setting Meaningful Goals t0 Avoid Meaningless Leadership
I recommend reading The Ultimate Personal Success Plan and follow the 4 steps listed above to get on the path of creating goals that will be meaningful to you, your organizations, and your relationships.
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So, now that you’ve read this article, how are you going to use this information to bring more meaning to your goal achievement and avoid meaningless goals and meaningless leadership?
Please take a moment and share your ideas in the comments section below, share this with your social media friends, and subscribe to receive A Slice of Leadership notices, as well as occasional leadership advice, articles, tips and freebies.
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I recently heard a poem, that while amazingly simplistic, held a very powerful message about parenthood. But later, when I found the text of the poem online and read it, I was amazed at the how the same message could ring true to leadership and management. I am fascinated at the intricacy of leadership and the lessons that can be pulled from all walks of life, including as in this case, parenthood.
