April 11, 2025
Story [#38]

Why Goals Matter.

Or a minute from Point A to Point B

Everything in life has a beginning and an end.

We’re born, we live, we leave.

Just a brief moment in the grand eternity.

And how we spend it - that’s on us.

Will we aim for something meaningful - raising kids, growing as humans, helping others?

Or will we drown in endless pleasure-seeking, only to realize (if we ever do) that we wasted that moment on nothing?

And by then - it’s too late.

No rewinds.

No second takes.

No “oops, let me try again.”

Entrepreneurship is an art

For me, being an entrepreneur is one of the purest forms of art.

It offers:

  • self-expression,
  • real impact on others’ lives,
  • a chance to leave something behind.

And what do most business owners end up doing?

Surviving.

  • endless to-do lists,
  • soul-crushing routines,
  • no time to breathe or enjoy the wins,
  • that inner tiredness and regret for ever starting this whole thing.

What began as a dream becomes a hamster wheel from hell.

Recently, I had a short but gut-punching talk with a woman who runs a small flower wholesale business.

Thirty minutes, tops. While rushing somewhere.

And even in that short chat, the pain was obvious. Disappointment. Hopelessness.

"We kept trying to fix things, but always ended up right back where we started."

Of course, 30 minutes isn’t enough to unpack it all.

But one thing was crystal clear:

She had no goal.

A Goal Is More Than Just Money

Making money to support your family?

Awesome. But you don’t have to start a business to do that.

Can you earn more in business?

Sure. Just like it can wipe out everything you have.

Why do you unlock your office every morning?

To make money and to stability, your business needs a goal that goes beyond just the money.

That’s where things start to shift.

Goals can be different.

And no, I’m not saying money is bad. It’s just not the whole story.

A goal might be:

  • To spread joy
  • To disrupt your industry
  • To do something meaningful
  • To build a legacy that lives on
  • To prove something to yourself

Yes, money matters.

But a goal is not “make a million.”

A million is a result.

If your only goal is money... what’s next?

Rob a bank? Run a crypto scam?

From A to B

A goal is your point B.

Point A is where you’re standing right now.

Be honest. No sugar-coating.

What’s working? What’s not? What’s keeping you up at night?

That’s where the journey begins.

Use a basic SWOT analysis:

  • Strengths – what are you great at?
  • Weaknesses – where do you suck?
  • Opportunities – external things you can leverage
  • Threats – external risks that could bite you

Only when you’ve got point A and point B can you plot the path.

No goal? No map. No direction. No chance.

The Four Paths of an Entrepreneur

  1. Build an empire and change the world
  2. Build a business that supports your life
  3. Settle and stay stuck
  4. Give up

Obviously, #3 and #4 aren’t real options.

But the first two? Totally different roads.

Even if your “empire” starts small, your goal shapes everything:

  • Timeline
  • Risk tolerance
  • Leadership approach
  • Energy and investment

If you see yourself as a future CEO of a big company, your whole strategy shifts.

Different choices. Different priorities. Bigger vision.

If this hits home, look into Adizes’ Corporate Lifecycle model.

It’s a great framework to understand what lies ahead at each business stage.

Bottom Line

We’ll dive deeper into empire-building vs. lifestyle business later.

But…

Everything starts with a goal.

No goal — no direction.

No direction — no progress.

Just running in circles.

And burnout as your prize.

Disclaimer.

Every business has its nuances, and every founder has their unique context and resources. Whether or not my advice applies depends on your situation, experience, and needs. But one thing is universal—use your brain.

Think about how to apply the advice in your context before acting.

Your way.

SWOT Analysis to Understand Where You Are

SWOT analysis has its perks:

  • even people with zero prep can use it to map out their business;
  • it gives a multi-angle view of what’s going on;
  • it helps assess strengths and spot the problems.

Fair enough, it’s often criticized for being subjective.

The results usually reflect how people feel during the brainstorming session — vague and all over the place.

Here’s my take: SWOT is great for making a snapshot of where you are right now.

If you take it seriously and dig into the details, you can reduce the fuzziness and actually get a useful picture of your “Point A.”

I wouldn’t use SWOT for long-term planning.

Its real strength is in capturing the current state.

How to Run a SWOT Analysis

Step 1. Strengths

What makes your product, team, or business better than the rest?

  • prime location,
  • founder’s expertise,
  • exclusive deals with suppliers.

Ask yourself:

  • Why do customers pick you over competitors?
  • What channels bring the best leads?
  • What are people praising in reviews?

Step 2. Weaknesses

What’s slowing you down or putting you at risk?

  • data loss,
  • staff errors,
  • delivery hiccups,
  • poor customer service.

Ask yourself:

  • What’s choking your profits?
  • What’s in your negative reviews?
  • Where are your competitors winning?
  • What keeps going wrong in operations?

Step 3. Opportunities

External factors you can’t control, but can take advantage of:

  • tech trends,
  • shifts in customer demand,
  • political or economic changes.

The trick is spotting which ones you can actually ride to your benefit.

Step 4. Threats

External risks that could hit you hard:

  • market crashes,
  • new competitors,
  • changes in regulation,
  • unstable supply chains.

You can’t stop them, but you can be ready and soften the impact.

SWOT isn’t a magic wand. No method is.

Do it half-heartedly, and you’ll get garbage in return.

But done right, it’s a powerful first step to get brutally honest about where you stand before deciding where to go next.

Every founder has their own way of getting through hard days.

Mine is Nyx Thorne — a fictional hero I created to remind myself that clarity, courage, and rebellion are always possible.

Her journal reminds me (and maybe you) that it’s okay to struggle — and still move forward.
You can’t walk the right path if the goal was off from the start.

Nail the goal — and you’re already halfway there.

From the journal of Nyx Thorne.
That’s all for today. See you next week.
- Eugene

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Autjor avatar

Hi, I’m Eugene.

Strategist, operator, and product builder helping founders escape operational chaos and build businesses that work without them.

Over the past 20+ years, I’ve grown an international agency from one-person freelance to a multimillion-dollar business. I’ve led teams, scaled systems, burned out, rebuilt, and learned (the hard way) what it really takes to run a business that doesn’t consume your life.
Today, I work with small business owners and independent founders who’ve outgrown hustle advice and need practical structure.

I help them make sense of complexity, design simple systems, and create the kind of business they actually want to run.

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