Hunt For Greatness
Milton Kamwendo
Greatness and growth are not automatic.
They are not knee-jerk activities. They do not happen by default.
They are not a result of merely showing up. Greatness and growth are the result of intentional effort, continuous improvement and the setting of meaningful goals.
Too often, people settle for their “givens” — the things they would have done anyway. Givens are the routine — the comfortable and expected.But real transformation happens when you pursue goals that stretch you beyond what is comfortable and known.
Stretch goals
A goal is an inspiring and stretching target. It is a vision of what could be.Not all goals are created equal.
There are goals that simply maintain the status quo and then there are STRETCH goals. These propel you towards exponential growth.
STRETCH is an acronym that defines the kind of goals that lead to real personal, professional and organisational transformation.
S — Specific and significant
A goal that stretches you must be specific and significant.
It must mean something to you.
Vague goals lead to vague results.
Instead of saying “I want to be better at sales”, a stretch goal would be: “I want to increase my sales by 30 percent within the next six months by improving my client engagement strategy”.
Significance matters because meaningless goals do not prompt action or energy, nor drive lasting change. A stretch goal should align with your purpose, values and long-term aspirations.
It should matter deeply to you and bring real impact and motivation.
T — Time-bound and transformational
Goals without a deadline remain fanciful dreams. Stretch goals have a clear timeline that keeps you accountable. “Someday” is not a date. Specificity in timelines leads to real action. Stretch goals should also be transformational.
They should make you a different person by the time you achieve them. They should demand new skills, new thinking and a new level of resilience.
R — Risky and rewarding
Playing it safe leads to stagnation.
A stretch goal should push you out of your comfort zone. It should feel slightly scary but exciting at the same time. Growth happens at the edge of discomfort. A well-crafted stretch goal positions you to reap significant benefits. With risk comes reward.
It might bring financial rewards, personal fulfilment, career growth or new opportunities.
The challenge should be worth the effort.
E — Evaluated and evolving
Stretch goals require constant evaluation and review.
It is not about ticking boxes.
It is not about setting a goal and forgetting about it. Milestones and checkpoints along the way help you measure progress and make necessary adjustments.
Your goals should be evolving. What stretched you last year may be too small today. As you grow, your goals must also grow.
Keep setting bigger and more ambitious targets that keep you in a cycle of continuous development. This is the essence of stretch goals.
T — Tangible and trackable
Abstract goals do not drive action.
A stretch goal should be tangible. It should be something you can see, measure and define.
There must be concrete evidence of progress.Tracking progress is essential for motivation.
Small wins along the way keep you engaged and inspired.
Related Stories:
When you see measurable improvements, you are more likely to stay committed.
C — Challenging and character-building
Stretch goals should challenge you beyond your current capabilities. They should require effort, strategy and agility. They should push you to learn new skills, take on leadership or build greater discipline.
As you stretch, so you grow and develop. Stretch goals shape your character. They teach you perseverance, responsibility, problem-solving and resilience.
These are traits of greatness.
H — High-impact and habit-forming
Lastly, a stretch goal should be of high impact. This is not a mere given that yields a minor adjustment.
A goal must make a significant difference in your life or work.
It should alter the trajectory of your future, opening doors to bigger spaces.
The pursuit of stretch goals should lead to habit formation.
The best goals help you cultivate greatness habits that last beyond the goals themselves.
Stretch goals create positive habits that define who you become.
Beyond the givens
Givens are safe and keep you compliant. They are what you would have done anyway.
They do not require extra effort.
They do not cause discomfort.
You do not need to push beyond your limits. Growth for greatness is never found in the given.
It is found in the stretch.
Greatness comes to those who do not settle for givens.Pursue stretch goals that challenge you to innovate, adapt and achieve more than what you thought was possible.
Identify a meaningful area for growth. This should be an area where you need to go beyond the given.
Write down a STRETCH goal.
Ensure it is specific, time-bound and challenging. Create an action plan by breaking the goal into smaller steps with clear deadlines.
Get to work daily on the goal and measure progress. Track your growth and celebrate milestones.
Adjust and evolve. Be flexible enough to refine your goal as needed.
Commit and stay accountable.
Find a mentor, coach or accountability partner to keep you on track.
As you march forward, embrace discomfort. Accept that growth will feel uncomfortable, but push through with focus, discipline and endurance.
Many people settle for the given. They do just enough to get by.
Greatness belongs to those who dare to stretch. Do not settle for what you would have done anyway.
Set goals that demand more; ones that require you to stretch beyond your limits. Choose growth over comfort.
Grow through goals, not givens.
Committed to your greatness.
Milton Kamwendo is a leading international transformational and motivational speaker, author and accomplished workshop facilitator. He is a cutting-edge strategy, team-building and organisation development facilitator and consultant. He can be reached at: [email protected]
