Most people start a business chasing what they want.
More money.
More time.
More freedom.
Nothing wrong with that until it becomes the only thing.
Here’s the hard truth: when your goals revolve only around you, they tend to stall.
But when your goals are bigger than you, the momentum changes. The work feels lighter. The path feels clearer. And, strangely enough, the personal rewards you wanted in the first place start showing up faster.
This isn’t philosophy. It’s mechanics. And if you get it, you’ll never look at business planning the same way again.
The Two Types of Goals: Selfish vs Selfless
Every business owner sets goals, whether they write them down or carry them in their head. But there’s a crucial distinction:
- Selfish goals are inward-facing. They’re about what you get:
- “I want to earn $250,000 this year.”
- Selfless goals are outward-facing. They’re about what others get from you:
- “I want to give my clients the smoothest, most stress-free service they’ve ever had.”
The difference isn’t just moral and it’s practical.
Selfish goals rely entirely on your own desire and willpower. Selfless goals tap into something deeper: service, purpose, and the ripple effect of improving other people’s lives. That’s rocket fuel for motivation.
Why Selfless Goals Work Better
There’s a simple reason selfless goals outperform selfish ones: they create a bigger game to play.
If your mission is to make your own life better, you’ll hit walls when the work gets hard. But if your mission is to improve the lives of others, you’ll find yourself digging deeper, even on the days you’d rather not.
The fastest way to get what you want is to help others get what they want at scale.
Selfish goals can motivate in the short term. But if you want sustainability, stability, and sanity, you need a mission that’s bigger than you. Make that your business. Make that your driver. The rest will follow.
The money will follow.
The freedom will follow.
The lifestyle will follow.
Not because you chased them directly, but because you built something that mattered.
Look at your biggest goal for the next 12 months.
Ask yourself: “If I hit this, who else wins?”
If the honest answer is “Just me,” you’ve found your next growth opportunity.
Make it bigger. Make it about them. Then watch what happens.
If you want average results, keep chasing average goals. But if you’re ready to build something that last, something that serves, scales, and sustains, start now.