Aligning Priorities and Goals

While Goals is in the title, I’m not spending time specifically talking about goals in this post because - we know goals. SMART, OKRs, “Rocks”, BHAGs. Mid-year reviews, end of year evaluations. The list goes on. Goals are prevalent in business settings.

But discussing priorities is not.?

Making goals that align with our priorities is also not common. And I think this is a miss. A big miss.

When defining priorities I ask myself the question (I saw this somewhere and it stuck; not my quote):

“What is most important and meaningful in my life today that I’m not willing to compromise or sacrifice in pursuit of something else?”

I know business owners and those in corporate positions who will grind.it.out. Work 70 hour weeks, sacrifice time with family, friends, hobbies, etc., in order to drive hard for years so they can retire with a hefty amount of savings in the bank. Their goals may include hitting a specific EBITDA in a set amount of time and/or selling their company for a specific amount or hitting a specific amount in a 401k as their main motivation.? These are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time bound - they meet the criteria of quality goals.

But,? if I put that example through the lens of the question above – what am I not willing to sacrifice today - I can see why this wouldn’t be a fit for me even if it’s a great goal for others. Because I know this:?

I’m not willing to sacrifice that much time now for a later payout.??

Time is my most important currency.

So, the goals above don’t align with my priorities.

There’s absolutely no judgment here. For those who are grinding, putting money away, knowing they are sacrificing today for a better tomorrow - great. We all make our own choices for our own reasons.?

My point is simply to be aware of the alignment of priorities and goals.?Or the lack thereof.

While I knew from the outset of starting my business that I had a “vanity metric” in my head that I wanted to hit to prove to myself I “made it” as a business owner, growth was never my only motivation.?

?? I wanted to build a company that aligned with my priorities and my values.

?? I wanted to build a company with an exceptional work culture for our employees that’s committed to surpassing client expectations.

?? I wanted to build a company that provides flexibility for our team to have space to live full lives outside of work.

My #1 priority is creating time to spend with the people I love doing what I love, and that impacts the goals that I give myself and the goals we set at TBG.

What are you not willing to sacrifice today in pursuit of something else? And then check – are you creating that time in your week? Would love to hear from you if this resonates. How do you make your priorities a part of your goals?