Anti-Goal Setting Works

Sam Parr shares his evolving perspective on goal setting, expressing frustration with traditional goal-setting approaches and suggesting a more execution-focused mindset. His views stem from years of missing projections and seeing the downsides of over-planning.

Key Points:

• Goal Setting Skepticism:

  • Has never hit any projections in first 6 years of business career
  • Trying to implement "no goals" approach, though facing resistance from business partners
  • Believes over-tracking and over-planning can be counterproductive

• Problems with Traditional Planning:

  • Often leads to over-optimism in financial projections
  • Creates unnecessary stress and disappointment
  • Can hurt team morale when targets are consistently missed

• Real World Example:

  • At The Hustle, would arbitrarily increase numbers in spreadsheets
  • "What if we took that 7 and deleted it and put a 9... look how much more profit that gave us"
  • Acknowledges this as a significant weakness in his approach to business

• Current Philosophy:

  • Compares it to Usain Bolt running a race - what matters is winning, not hitting specific time targets
  • Questions the value of extensive planning for young companies
  • "If you're 12 months old, planning 12 months out is 50% of the company's existence"

• Alternative Approach:

  • Focus on execution rather than setting specific targets
  • Emphasize consistent performance over arbitrary goals
  • Allow natural growth without artificial constraints

This perspective represents a significant departure from conventional business wisdom about goal setting and planning, suggesting that sometimes less structure can lead to better outcomes.