Remember the first time you were introduced to S.M.A.R.T. goals?

• Specific.
• Measurable.
• Achievable.
• Relevant.
• Time-bound.

They seemed brilliant. Life-changing. The perfect approach to finally achieve everything you wanted in business, sales, leadership, personal growth, and possibly getting your dog to stop barking at the Amazon driver.

So what happened?

Why didn’t S.M.A.R.T. goals fix everything?

Because S.M.A.R.T. goals are hard. They made perfect sense until we actually had to do them.

So, another kind of goal snuck up behind S.M.A.R.T. goals and taped a “KICK ME” sign to its back.

I call them S.T.U.P.I.D. Sales Goals.

Not because you’re stupid. You’re not.

It’s because these goals are sneaky little goal-avoidance mechanisms that look like ambition, sound like strategy, and feel like planning.

But mostly, they keep you from doing the harder things you don’t want to do.

Let’s take a look.

S is for Safe

Safe goals protect you from feeling like you’re wasting time.

They let you stay busy without accomplishing much.

You know you’re operating in Safe goals when your thinking starts with “should.”

• “I should work on my messaging.”
• “I should clean up my CRM.”
• “I should think through my offer.”
• “I should get clearer before I start reaching out.”

Are those bad things? Absolutely not.

But they become a problem when you keep should-ing yourself away from the sales actions that actually move your business forward.

• Making the call.
• Following up.
• Asking for the sale.
• Having the uncomfortable conversation.
• Dealing with the moment where someone might say no.

Safe goals feel responsible, but they often protect you from the exact discomfort required to close business.

If a goal feels a little scary, you may be headed in the right direction.

If it feels completely safe, comfortable, and delightfully free of human interaction, you may be wandering into S.T.U.P.I.D. territory.

T is for Theoretical

Theoretical goals live entirely in your head.

They sound intelligent, but they don’t touch the reality of what needs to get done.

You know you’re operating in Theoretical goals when your thinking starts with “I’m going to.”

• “I’m going to build a stronger brand.”
• “I’m going to create a better sales process.”
• “I’m going to become more visible.”
• “I’m going to improve my relationship with money.”

Okay, great. But what does that actually mean?

• Who are you contacting today?
• What offer are you making?
• What conversation are you starting?
• What uncomfortable truth are you willing to say?

Theoretical goals give you the emotional satisfaction of progress without requiring actual initiative.

They let you imagine the future without doing anything to bring that future to life.

Business does not reward what you plan to do. Business rewards what you do do.

(Yes, I said “do do.” This is a sophisticated newsletter.)

U is for Unmeasured

Imagine you’re watching a football game. There’s all kinds of exciting action on the field, but when you look for the score, there’s no scoreboard.

The game immediately feels pointless.

That’s what Unmeasured goals do to your business.

You know you’re operating in Unmeasured goals when your thinking starts with “I feel.”

• “I feel like I’m getting closer.”
• “I feel like I’m building momentum.”
• “I feel like I’m planting seeds.”
• “I feel like I’m going to kill it this month.”

The trust is that feelings aren’t facts. Instead of relying on feelings, ask better questions.

• How many people did I reach out to this week?
• How many follow-ups did I send?
• How many times did I ask directly for the business?
• How many times did I hear no and stay in the conversation anyway?

That last one matters.

Because if you’re not hearing no, you’re probably not making enough real offers.

God gave us spreadsheets for a reason. Put numbers in boxes. Then look at the totals and tell yourself the truth.

P is for Passive

Passive goals play the waiting game. You wait for something to happen instead of making something happen.

They’re shrouded in nice-sounding justifications. You’re being patient. You’re allowing goodness to flow to you. You’re working with the universe to manifest your greatest aspirations.

That’s all very nice, but the universe only responds when you get off your keister and do the hard stuff first.

Sir Richard Branson didn’t meditate his way to owning an island, and neither will you.

You know you’re operating in Passive goals when your thinking starts with “I hope.”

• “I hope my content brings in leads.”
• “I hope my network sends me referrals.”
• “I hope my prospects get back to me.”
• “I hope people realize how valuable my offer is.”

Hope is necessary. Hope is beautiful. Hope gets us through the hardest of hard times.

But hope is not a sales or growth plan.

Passive goals become a problem when they help you avoid direct action.

• Following up with a resistant prospect.
• Asking clients for referrals.
• Stating your offer clearly.
• Asking for the close so they can only answer yes or no.

Is that pushy? No!

When you are fully committed to providing a great product or service, direct action is an expression of wanting to be helpful. It’s leadership.

Passive goals do a terrific job of protecting you from rejection.

Unfortunately, they also protect you from clients, money, momentum, and the people who actually need your help.

I is for Impressive-Sounding

Impressive-Sounding goals use big language to make vague intentions feel like real progress.

They sound sophisticated, strategic, and are buzzword-heavy. 

You know you’re operating in Impressive-Sounding goals when you’re making glossy statements.

• “I’m defining a premium brand strategy.”
• “I’m developing AI growth systems.”
• “I’m creating a scalable client acquisition strategy.”
• “I’m crafting high-ticket offers for aligned clients.”

Are these wrong? No. Some may even be important.

But they become a problem when the language becomes more impressive than the action needed to make them happen.

Did you call anyone?

Did you follow up with the prospect who said they were interested?

Did you ask someone whether they want to work with you?

The work that grows your business is usually not impressive-sounding.

• Reach out.
• Ask questions.
• Make the offer.
• Ask for the close.

That may not sound sexy, but it works.

If your goals sound brilliant in a planning session but don’t lead to clear action with real people, you don’t have a sales goal. You have a very attractive hiding place.

D is for Delayed

Delayed goals are goals you keep moving into the future because the present feels a little too scary.

You know you’re operating in Delayed goals when your thinking starts with “after.”

• “I’ll start reaching out after I finish my website.”
• “I’ll follow up after I clean up my offer.”
• “I’ll ask for referrals after I create a better process.”
• “I’ll start selling after I feel more confident.”
• “I’ll make the call after things calm down.”

There’s always another project, another adjustment, another thing to fix before you do the uncomfortable thing you already know you need to do.

You don’t need everything to be perfect before you sell.

You need to be honest, helpful, and willing to take the next uncomfortable action.

Delayed goals protect you from feeling unprepared.

Unfortunately, they also delay clients, income, confidence, and the proof that you’re more ready than you think.

Getting Yourself Un-S.T.U.P.I.D.

If the goal matters, there will probably be fear attached to it.

That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re near something real.

The better question is not: “How do I stop feeling afraid?”

The better question is: “What action would I take today if I stopped requiring comfort first?”

That’s the real goal.

The problem with S.T.U.P.I.D. goals is what they cost you:

• They cost you clients.
• They cost you confidence.
• They cost you momentum.
• They cost you the self-respect that comes from doing the thing you said you were going to do.

So yes, do all the S.M.A.R.T. stuff. 

Make your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

But also ask yourself: Is this goal moving me toward the uncomfortable action that actually matters? Or is it helping me feel productive while I avoid the conversation I already know I need to have?

That’s the difference between a goal that changes your business and a S.T.U.P.I.D. goal that keeps you comfortable.

And comfort, as lovely as it feels in the moment, is usually far more expensive than courage.

Let Me Help

If selling ever feels uncomfortable because you don’t know what to say, don’t want to use pressure tactics, manipulation, and all the usual salesy nonsense, join me for the free weekly Selling Authentically Roundtable.

We talk about how to sell with courage, honesty, humor, and zero douchebaggery. Join here: https://gordon.coach/roundtable