In boardrooms, strategy offsites, and leadership retreats, we obsess over the “big goals” — the five-year vision, the transformation roadmap, the stretch targets. Yet, research consistently shows that organisations and individuals who focus solely on long-term objectives often stall, or worse, fail.
A recent study by Harvard Business Review found that only 8% of leaders successfully execute their long-term strategies. Why? Because the big picture alone is overwhelming, disengaging, and often disconnected from day-to-day realities.
At RdL, we see this every week: leaders energised by the destination, but paralysed when it comes to the next step.
Short-term goal setting isn’t just a productivity hack — it’s a high-performance strategy.
Breaking big goals into achievable, short-term milestones keeps teams focused, motivated, and adaptive. It creates momentum.
Each small win builds confidence and capability, reduces resistance to change, and provides crucial feedback for adjusting course.
Neuroscience backs this up. Research from Stanford University shows that the human brain is hardwired to respond positively to progress. Even minor accomplishments release dopamine, creating a sense of reward that sustains effort and builds motivation for the next challenge.
Short-term goals also make accountability sharper. It’s easy to let a five-year goal drift. It’s harder to ignore a 30-day sprint.
In fact, teams who implement structured short-term goal cycles see a 20–25% increase in project completion rates (Gartner, 2023).
Critically, short-term wins don’t dilute ambition — they accelerate it.
They create the foundation of confidence, clarity, and discipline required to achieve the bigger picture.
So, if you’re still pinning all your hopes on a long-term strategy without breaking it down into smaller, tangible goals, you may already be behind.
It’s the small wins, consistently earned, that lead to extraordinary transformation.
