Big Goals Need Strong Systems

Why Reflection, Real Change, and Project Management Matter More Than Ever at Year-End

I believe in setting big goals.

In my experience, it’s often those big, slightly uncomfortable goals that force us to grow. They push us to think differently, challenge old habits, and make changes we might otherwise avoid.

But I’ve also learned something important over the years:
goals alone don’t create change.
Systems do.

That lesson started early in my career.

Two Very Different Approaches to Goals

Early on, I worked in the training department of a project management software company. My boss at the time didn’t believe in setting goals at all. His thinking was that goals were disappointing — that missing them felt like failure, and it was better not to set them in the first place.

Later, I worked for the CEO of a software company who took the opposite approach. He was a great visionary, and being in meetings where he talked about growth was genuinely motivating. Every year, he proclaimed that this would be the year the company really took off.

And yet, every year, the company ended up making about the same amount of money.

The vision was there.
The motivation was there.

What was missing was the translation of vision into action.

Two very different leadership styles — one cautious, one aspirational — but the same result. Not because the goals were wrong or unrealistic, but because the systems and steps needed to support those goals never truly changed.

What I learned from both experiences is this:
We don’t miss our goals because they’re too lofty or impossible to reach. We miss them because we aren’t taking the steps required to get there — and we aren’t making the real changes that growth demands.

Reflection Changes the Conversation

That’s why year-end reflection matters so much.

Before jumping into goal setting, it’s worth asking:

• What actually worked this year?

• What didn’t work, even though we tried to push through it?

• Where did progress come from intentional change — not just effort?

I often encourage business owners to think back to a year when really meaningful, exciting things happened in their business.

What made that year different?

More often than not, it wasn’t luck. It was:

• An opportunity you said yes to

• A new process you implemented

• A system you put in place

• A decision to stop doing something the old way

Real progress comes from doing something differently, not just wanting a different outcome.

The Role Project Management Really Plays

This is where project management becomes such a powerful — and often overlooked — lever.

A project management system isn’t the big goal.
It’s the thing that makes the big goal possible.

When projects rely on late nights, constant check-ins, or you stepping in to keep things moving, even the best goals become exhausting. When systems create clarity around ownership, timelines, and communication, big goals feel achievable instead of overwhelming.

That’s the difference between:

• Hoping next year will be different
  and

• Designing next year to be different

Big Goals Still Matter — They Just Need Support

I still believe in setting big goals. They stretch us. They force us to confront what isn’t working. They highlight where real change is required.

But big goals only work when they’re paired with:

• Honest reflection

• A willingness to change systems and behaviors

• Processes that support growth instead of relying on heroics

As you head into 2026, I encourage you to do both:
Give yourself credit for the wins you earned this year.
Be honest about what didn’t work.
And put systems in place that will help you reach your next set of goals — without burning out along the way.

Big goals create direction.
Strong systems make them achievable.

That’s how growth becomes sustainable — and how project management truly scales.