Setting Ambitious But Achievable Goals

Written  by P Griffin  January  2025

As we embark on a fresh new year, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the possibilities ahead and set some bold goals for your business and team. But how can you approach this in a way that truly inspires growth and transformation?

 

One of my favourite quotes about ambition comes from Michelangelo:
“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.”


These words are a powerful reminder of the value of aiming high, even if it means risking a miss, rather than playing it safe and settling for mediocrity. They challenge us to think bigger, to dream more boldly, and to step outside our comfort zones.


When considering goals for the year ahead, it can be tempting to base them on the past year’s performance. Perhaps you’re thinking about a modest percentage increase in revenue or efficiency—a goal that feels achievable without rocking the boat too much. But let’s pause for a moment and think about what happens when we do this. Aiming for small, incremental improvements often leads to small, incremental changes. Your team might tweak processes here and there, but the overarching strategies and mindset remain largely unchanged.


Now, imagine setting an audacious goal instead. What if you aimed to grow your business by 50%? Or even double your profits? A goal of this magnitude  forces you and your team to reevaluate everything—your strategies, your assumptions, your ways of working. It demands innovation, creativity, and bold action. Suddenly, the conversations in your team shift from “how can we do a bit better?” to “how can we achieve the extraordinary?”


Setting ambitious but achievable goals doesn’t just push your business forward; it energises your team, creates a culture of high performance, and builds resilience. Yes, there’s a risk of falling short. But even if you don’t quite reach the stars, you’re likely to land somewhere remarkable—and far beyond where you would have settled with a safer target. 

Setting Strech Goals

Here are five great tips for setting effective stretch goals in business:

 

  1. Align with Your Vision and Mission
  • Stretch goals should advance the core mission and long-term vision of your business. For example, if innovation is part of your vision, a stretch goal could focus on launching a groundbreaking new product.

 

  1. Balance Ambition with Realism
  • Stretch goals should push your limits without being entirely unattainable. Evaluate resources, team capacity, and market conditions to ensure they are challenging but not demotivating.

 

  1. Break Them into Milestones
  • Decompose big stretch goals into smaller, measurable milestones. This helps track progress and keeps the team motivated by celebrating incremental achievements.

 

  1. Encourage Collaboration and Creativity
  • Create an environment where team members brainstorm and contribute innovative ways to achieve the goal. Cross-functional collaboration can unlock unique solutions.

 

  1. Incorporate Regular Feedback and Adjustments
  • Monitor progress and adjust the approach if needed. Regular reviews ensure the stretch goal remains relevant and keeps the team focused on priorities.

 

Contact me today for a discussion about the ideas you have about growing your business or creating future success