Set Upper Limits for your Goals
In the book "Company of One", the author, Paul Jarvis, refers to an interesting idea that I've been incorporating into the goals I set for myself, daily, monthly, or yearly.
Setting upper limits to existing goals resists the belief that growth is the most important metric in a business setting. Why is it so? Growing a client-base instead of deepening the relationships with existing clients is costly, and oftentimes, nonsense. Growing business locations and sacrificing customer satisfaction can lead to short-term gains but damage reputation. Growing profits unconsciously can lead to unsustainable necessities of cash-flow.
In 1996, Southwest airlines had 100 new cities interested. The airline was already a national company, and, at the time, most airlines were losing money. Still, Southwest refused 95% of those offers. They turned down growth opportunities because of an established upper limit for growth. Their goal was not meaningless expansion, but maintaining high-levels of service.
Interestingly, this idea can also be applied on a personal level. When setting goals, we don't usually worry about setting upper limits. If I set the goal of writing 50 posts in a year, I don't limit the number of posts to 60. If I plan on working out 4 times per week, I don't set an upper limit of 5. Instead, if I had actually set an upper limit and an alternative, like reading a book on the days I don't workout or travelling for 2 weeks if I manage to publish 60 posts before the year ends, I would feel much more accomplished.
Here is an example adapted from the book "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferriss. You have started your business and have set the goal of making 70,000$ per year. After two years of 10h+ working days, you reach the final destination. Now what? If you have not limited growth, income, or working hours, your days might still look hectic, even if there is no financial need. When limits and alternatives are not defined, an accomplished goal is just one more day at the office. Tomorrow will look the same.
I resonate 100% with the previous example because by nature, I'm a doer. I get things done and consider myself a high-achiever. This is great... when it is not. I can easily fall into the trap of working too much and having too little fun. I love what I do, but I easily neglect leisure and rest. This is to say: I must set upper limits for the goals I set for myself. This how I've done it:
How to Set Upper Limits for your Goals:
Define a specific goal.
E.g. sit down and read 30 minutes/day.Define at which point, beyond the established metric, there will be diminishing returns.
E.g. reading more than 100 minutes/day will steal essential time from my work and relationships.Refine your goal by setting an upper limit.
E.g. sit down, read 30 minutes/day, but not more than 100 min.
“From an evolutionary point of view it is explainable why we wanted to gather more and more: with more food, more water, more protection against predators, we may be less likely to die. But today, growth feeds our ego and social standing.”