The Surprising Reason Why Chasing Big Goals Often Leads to Failure

In this insightful article, renowned cartoonist and entrepreneur Scott Adams, creator of the famous Dilbert comics, shares his unconventional views on success, goal-setting, and passion for work.

Any strategy that sounds brilliant in theory often turns out foolish in practice. – Scott Adams, "Dilbert Management"

Scott Adams is not only a celebrated cartoonist but also a seasoned entrepreneur who has launched around 30 business ventures, many of which failed. Through his experiences, he reveals why fixating on big, ambitious goals—often called "supergoals"—can set you up for disappointment, and why adopting a consistent, systems-focused mindset is the true path to achievement.

About Scott Adams

An American cartoonist famous worldwide for his Dilbert series, published in 65 countries and translated into 25 languages. Formerly an office worker himself, Adams is also the author of books like "The Dilbert Principle," "The Dilbert Future," and more.

While Adams cares deeply about his ventures, he openly acknowledges that roughly nine out of ten of his ideas fail.

"When things work out, I dive into them passionately. When they don't, I simply move on."

His resilience is evident in his persistence despite setbacks, such as two unsuccessful restaurant startups, a failed food company, and comics that didn’t resonate with audiences. Adams explains that when reality doesn’t meet expectations, it often leads to stress or disappointment. To manage this, he intentionally lowers his expectations.

"I deliberately underestimate my chances of success. I don't expect my work to guarantee long-term triumph."

Why Investing in Passion Alone Can Be Risky

During his banking career, Adams learned a valuable lesson from his former boss: never invest in startups led by people who are blindly passionate. Passion, his boss argued, can cloud judgment and cause costly mistakes. Instead, investing in experienced, hardworking individuals tends to yield better results.

"What I hear is that no one can reliably pick a winning business idea. Even investors can't confidently say, 'This will work, we foresee everything.'"

In other words, the old belief that you could identify a winning business idea has shifted to an equally flawed belief that you can find a super team or genius individual destined for success.

This led Adams to conclude that passion itself can be detrimental. He notes, "When you earn your first billion, you might feel excited because it changes your life. That success fuels your passion, not the other way around." Contrary to popular belief, passion doesn’t drive success; success creates passion. For those already deeply passionate about something, Adams advises having a backup plan—or better yet, two.

The Hidden Pitfall of Setting Supergoals

Adams explains that the biggest problem with supergoals is how they can make you feel like a failure.

"Imagine you want to lose 11 pounds and weigh yourself daily. Even if you’re making progress, you might still feel like a failure because you’re stuck in an emotionally painful 'half-success' state. You don’t truly feel victorious."

Therefore, setting massive, all-or-nothing goals can be counterproductive. First, you might not even choose the right goal. Second, big goals act like blinders, causing you to overlook interesting opportunities in related fields.

The world today is wildly unpredictable. You can’t foresee where your career will be in a year or what new technologies will disrupt the market. Maybe a robot will replace your job. Setting grand goals in such a world has serious drawbacks.

That said, Adams doesn’t advocate abandoning goal-setting entirely. Instead, he recommends focusing on simple, short-term objectives—like hitting the bullseye in archery or cultivating 40 acres if you’re a farmer. Avoid framing goals like "I want to be promoted to my boss’s position in five years," as this narrow focus can cause you to miss better career opportunities.

Embrace Systems: The Real Key to Lasting Success

Instead of chasing goals, Adams champions building effective systems—daily habits and processes that increase your chances of success over time.

"Creating Dilbert wasn’t a goal; it was one of many things I tried. Each had flaws, but if one worked, it could lead to massive success. If you don’t know my story, I’m just a guy who got lucky. I tried to build something worthwhile, but it wasn’t a path filled with joy. It was hard work and experimentation, and I only knew what worked by testing and observing market reactions."

According to Adams, if Dilbert had failed like his other ventures, he wouldn’t have seen it as a personal defeat. Luck plays a significant role in business. The best approach is to systematically improve your odds by focusing on consistent effort and adaptable systems.

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