In business, there’s always chatter about setting goals. We talk about them in meetings, jot them down in notebooks, and even post them on vision boards. But how often do we actually question if the goals we’re setting are big enough?
As entrepreneurs navigating the chaotic and ever-shifting landscapes of Amazon and Walmart.com, we often find ourselves pushing for progress, growth, and optimization. But here's a question I've had to ask myself recently: Are my goals big enough to create the impact I want, or am I just coasting?
This question led me down an interesting rabbit hole into something called the Region Beta Paradox—a concept that hits home for anyone looking to disrupt and dominate their category on these massive online platforms.
The Region Beta Paradox and the Comfort of Small Goals
The Region Beta Paradox, in simple terms, is the idea that we sometimes recover more quickly from worse situations than from slightly less-bad situations. If something is uncomfortable but tolerable, we might not feel the urgency to take big action. But when things get really bad, it forces us to change—sometimes more drastically and more quickly than we would in that "comfortable discomfort."
Apply this to business: If your Amazon or Walmart.com growth is just good enough—maybe you’re growing at a moderate pace, making steady sales, and slowly climbing the ranks—you might think you’re on the right track. After all, growth is growth, right?
But this is where the paradox kicks in.
If your goals are too small, if you’re just coasting along at a comfortable pace, you might never feel the urgency to push for the massive, breakthrough growth that sets your brand apart. The comfort zone becomes a trap, and your smaller goals become a ceiling that’s too low to inspire game-changing strategies.
Amazon and Walmart.com: Why Bigger Goals Matter
Let’s talk Amazon and Walmart.com. These platforms are beasts. They reward ambition. On Amazon, hitting $100K a month in revenue might sound like a dream for many. But in reality, that’s just scratching the surface. Brands doing millions a month didn’t get there by aiming for incremental gains—they blew the roof off with audacious goals that forced them to optimize everything from PPC to supply chain management. They didn't just want to survive; they wanted to dominate.
Walmart.com is no different. As it grows into a real competitor to Amazon, there’s a goldmine of opportunity for those willing to aim higher. But the same principle applies—if you’re comfortable with small, incremental improvements, you’re not going to see the kind of success that leaves your competitors in the dust.
It’s not about survival on these platforms; it’s about staking your claim and becoming the brand everyone else is trying to catch up to.
Why We Tend to Play It Safe
So why don’t more entrepreneurs set bigger goals? I think it comes down to fear. Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of biting off more than we can chew. It’s easy to settle into the “comfort zone” of moderate success. But here’s the truth: if you’re not setting goals that scare you a little bit, you’re not setting the right goals.
Comfort doesn’t create breakthroughs. Bold, ambitious goals do. If you want to double your revenue on Amazon or Walmart.com, it’s not going to happen by aiming for a 5% increase in sales next quarter. You’ve got to think bigger and act bolder.
How to Set Audacious, Scary, and Transformative Goals
So, how do you know if your goals are big enough?
- Do They Make You Uncomfortable? If the thought of pursuing your goal doesn’t make your heart race or keep you up at night, it’s probably not big enough. The goals that force you to push your limits are the ones worth chasing.
- Are You Playing to Win or Not to Lose? There’s a difference between playing defense and going on offense. Are your goals focused on just maintaining your position, or are they designed to put you miles ahead of the competition?
- Will They Require You to Level Up? If your goals don’t demand that you re-evaluate your systems, hire new talent, or find innovative ways to do more with less, they’re not big enough. The best goals require you to become a better version of yourself and push your team beyond what they thought was possible.
The Takeaway: Dream Big, or Don’t Dream at All
The Region Beta Paradox teaches us that sometimes, being “okay” is worse than hitting rock bottom. Because when things are just “okay,” we’re less likely to make the bold moves necessary for massive growth.
So ask yourself: Are your goals big enough to transform your brand on Amazon and Walmart.com? Or are you stuck in a comfort zone, playing it safe while your competitors are swinging for the fences?
If you’re not feeling a little bit of fear and excitement about where you’re headed, it’s time to re-evaluate. Dream big. Set goals that scare you. Because on platforms like Amazon and Walmart.com, the brands that win are the ones that aren’t afraid to think audaciously and act boldly.
After all, if you’re not aiming for the top, what’s the point?
