Too many people in Senior Management roles underestimate the levels of effort it takes to succeed and get to C-Suite level. The gap between Head of Finance and CFO may not appear to be that big, however, the amount of effort and action required to get to a CFO position is massive. And for that reason, you must set your eyes on something big as that is the only way your efforts will match what it first requires to get to a CFO level. Whenever you have underestimated the time, energy, and effort necessary to do something, you will have “quit” in your mind, voice, posture, face, and presentation. When you correctly estimate the effort necessary, you will execute the right level of required effort to achieve your goal.

Think about a successful CFO that you know. I can bet you that their goal was to become a CFO of a much larger and more complex organisation. They would’ve set their eyes on even bigger goals that seemed unreasonable and illogical. Beyond the point mentioned above, the power of setting unreasonable goals is that these goals are truly exciting. If you are a Head of Finance of multi-billion dollar organisation, is it really that exciting when you think about becoming a CFO of a $100m enterprise? It’s certainly a commendable position however it is a very achievable position and hence it may not be that exciting when you think about it. So, what is the right goal to set then? Set a goal to become a CFO of an ASX top 20. This can seem unachievable for many, but equally the prospect of getting to that level and the financial rewards that come along can be extremely exciting. Hence, that would be the right goal to set. That way your actions to get to a smaller enterprise CFO position will over exceed the level of action you think will be required and hence guarantee that you get there.

So what is the 3 step framework that you can follow to ensure that you achieve your goal of becoming a CFO? The simple answer is to:

1. Set a Goal that seems completely unachievable; &

2. Set a Goal that once achieved will significantly change your life; &

3. Set a Goal that is congruent with your purpose and mission

If you fail to think big enough then this usually means that you will never act big enough, often enough, or persistently enough! After all, who gets excited about so-called achievable goals?

Ask yourself whether the goals you have set are equal to your potential. Most people will admit that their goals are well below their potential—because most people have been convinced, persuaded, and even educated to set small, attainable, and realistic goals.

Realistic goals lead to a realistic life and that’s not a very exciting goal to work towards.

We partner with CFO’s every day and have the first-hand experience in seeing many people who get there and also many that don’t.

Reach out to us to join our network.