Stop calling it a plan - it’s just a target! (... And What To Do Instead)
Photo Credit: Mark(ing) Time Photography (Wynyard tunnels)
It’s “planning season” in advice businesses and institutions. Or so we say.
But let’s be honest – most of what happens isn’t planning. It’s target setting. We throw around words like strategy, ambition, vision...
But really? It’s a spreadsheet, a revenue number, a few assumptions and a hope that this year will be different.
I see it all the time. Done it this way plenty of times myself. And if I am being honest, it’s because “planning” is hard. Setting a target is easy, because hitting it is (usually) someone else’s job!
I want people to be successful. To win. To have joy when those goals are actually achieved – so here are my tips and tricks learnt from decades of ultra running and leading sales businesses (and failing lots of times).
6 Myths of Planning & How to Lift Your Game, Not Waste Time (and Achieve Greater Success) P.S. Bonus tip at the end!
1. Planning ≠ Targets
A plan is how you get somewhere. A target is where you want to go. They are not the same. Planning means asking: What are we trying to achieve? Where are we now? What are the actual steps, tools, training, and time required to close the gap?
Target setting is just saying: Here’s the number. Let’s hope.
And that’s what most “plans” really are – top-down, often untested guesses. Revenue goals dressed up as strategic intent. Sure, there might be some statements on the how, but no one really believes it (see #3).
2. The Illusion of Strategy
We fall in love with targets. We debate them. Justify them. Wrap them in PowerPoint slides. Give them themes. Get excited. Feel bold.
And then… hand them down. “Here’s your number.” “Here’s the goal.” “Let’s go.”
The problem? No actual plan on how to make it happen. And here’s the real pain – no one pushes back. Not because they agree. Because the power sits with the person setting the target. Not the person asked to hit it.
That’s not strategy. That’s hope. (Been there!)
3. Assumptions Build Hubris Not Confidence
Another big mistake?
We confuse assumptions for truth. We base goals on opinions. Gut feel. A spreadsheet that says “If we all do just 15% more…”
But here’s the thing (as ironic as this is going to sound) ... the more confident we are in our assumptions, the more blind we often become. Real planning starts with real evidence. What’s working? What’s not? What’s changing? What’s realistic?
James Clear Nailed It: “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” (you can tell I might have a wee ‘man crush’ on Mr Clear by now ;))
If your business isn’t hitting goals, the issue probably isn’t the target. It’s the lack of a system underneath it.
4. Here’s the Test (You Have To Do The Training!)
For every hour you’ve spent setting targets for the coming period … How many have you spent on the actual plan to achieve them?
Not a checklist. Not a whiteboard session. A real, structured plan that includes:
Sales process and rhythm
Team coaching and skill uplift
Tech and tools
Training
Content and marketing
Time allocation
Clear ownership
If the answer is close to zero, you're not planning – you’re guessing, and you’re hoping.
You have to actually do the “push up” to get stronger. For what’s it’s worth, start small. For every hour you spend “setting targets”, invest two hours planning. Best practice is 1:3 but hey, let’s get to 10KM before the marathon.
(Side Bar) Reminds Me of My Call Centre Days…
Strip display beeping all day with clients in the queue. Beep. Beep. Calls flooding in. Manager walks past. “Take another call.” “Another one.” “Let’s go, get your numbers up.”
Sound familiar? (I spent a lot of money on therapy getting over those days!)
Today, we just say: “Make a sale.” “Do your activity.” “Hit your number.” “Get me a report”. No plan. No support. No coaching. Just pressure.
Pressure isn’t a strategy.
5. Your Plan Needs to Be Bigger Than Your Target
The best businesses? They build plans that go beyond the spreadsheet.
They plan across five key areas:
Business – the commercial engine
Client – how value is delivered
Personal – how the team is growing
Partner – external leverage points
Next steps – actual, measurable actions
And here’s a simple structure that works:
Goal – What’s the objective? (bonus points for: what’s the reality, what’s the gap?) Why – Why does it matter? (tip: the “so what” test) How – What actions are needed? Resources – What support, tools, or training are required? Owner – Who’s driving it? When – What’s the timeline?
I know! Sounds simple. But almost no one does it properly. Why? Too hard!
6. Goals Don’t Win. Iteration Does.
You know why I hit more of my goals than I miss? It’s not magic.
I’m not the world’s best goal setter. In fact, I probably overcomplicate them like everyone else. OK, I do overcomplicate them! But I do one thing better than most: I iterate faster.
I check what’s working. What’s not. I double down on what is. Cut what isn’t. I remove ego (well mostly. And if I’m being honest, I am still working on this one). I question everything. And then I adjust.
That’s the (real) game.
Bottom Line
Planning’s not target setting. Target setting’s not planning. And ambition without execution? That’s just noise.
So if you’re serious about this year, ask yourself:
What am I actually trying to achieve?
Do I have a real plan – or just a number?
Do I have a system that actually lets me adjust, test, and improve?
Have I set my people up to win, or just handed them a target and hoped for the best?
Because here’s the thing:
You don’t win by setting bigger goals.
You win by building better systems. And better people.
And if you’re sitting there thinking you need the perfect plan before you start – forget it.
Just have a crack. Pick 1, 2, maybe 3 of the ideas above. Move. Adjust. Learn.
You’ll be better. You’ll be sharper. And you might even have a little more fun along the way.
Bonus thought: KPIs?
Yeah, they’re supposed to be Key Performance Indicators.
But what if they were also:
Keep People Interested
Keep People Informed
Keep People Inspired
Try doing that with a number alone 🤔
