The truth as I see it, after decades in the trench warfare of business, is that success
often comes from understanding the value of what I like to call anti goals.
An anti-goal isn't something you're aiming to achieve.
It's an outcome you actively want to avoid.
And structuring your work and life to steer clear of these outcomes can be incredibly
powerful.
Let me explain with an example.
Early on in my career, I realized that burnout was an anti-goal of mine.
It was something I needed to avoid to remain productive and creative.
So I established a radical regime.
I strictly limited my daily work hours, despite the common entrepreneur narrative of the hustle.
This constraint forced me to prioritize ruthlessly and to delegate tasks that weren't the absolute
best use of my time.
This approach seems counterintuitive in a culture that romanticizes overwork, but it
was essential for my longer-term productivity and sanity.
Another anti-goal I identified was complexity.
Simplicity in business models, product lines, and decision-making processes means faster
execution and fewer chances for error.
Where many entrepreneurs seek to do more, I focused on doing less, but doing it exceptionally
well.
So here's my advice.
Discover your anti-goals.
What failure do you want to keep at bay at all costs?
Is it losing touch with your values, diminishing quality, or something else?
And then build systems to steer clear of it.
For example, if a key anti-goal is making poor investment decisions, then create a framework
for decision-making that requires validation from trusted parties before you proceed.
Surround yourself with people who understand this approach, because the culture of avoiding
anti-goals should permeate every level of your organization.
Now, the logical conflict in this is that avoiding failure doesn't necessarily mean
you're moving towards success, but what's often overlooked is that dodging critical
mistakes preserves the resources — time, energy, capital — that can be used to capitalize
on the right opportunities when they arise.
It's a defensive strategy that indirectly bolsters the offense.
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Reflect on your anti-goals this week, write them down, and consider the systems, habits,
and team dynamics you need to avoid these outcomes.
Remember, steering clear of pitfalls is not about playing it safe, it's about playing
it smart.
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with those who might benefit from thinking about what success really looks like in practice.
Success isn't always about what you do, it's just about what you choose not to do.