TI CEO Podcast · episode 13
Why big goals are sometimes ridiculed
1-minute summary
In this episode of his CEO diary, Christoph Standl talks about why big goals are sometimes ridiculed. Whoever voices big goals sooner or later meets scepticism: that's unrealistic, that won't work anyway. Especially as an entrepreneur you often see something others don't see yet – a technology, a business model, an idea of where a company could stand in ten or twenty years. He thinks of Arnold Schwarzenegger and his two thoughts "Have a vision" and "Don't listen to the naysayers". If you have no idea yourself where you want to go, others will quickly define what is realistic for you. But he adds to the second thought: not listening to naysayers does not mean ignoring all criticism – on the contrary, he needs employees, partners, customers, advisors, investors and banks who question him, because maybe the numbers are wrong or the timing is off. What matters is whether it is constructive criticism or just a "that won't work anyway". After twelve years of Tourismus Interaktiv he has also seen how much cloud, automation and artificial intelligence change what is possible: the world in which a goal is to be reached is not the same world in which it is formulated today. His interpretation: have a vision, listen to good criticism, but don't let naysayers take your vision away. His question: is there a big goal you made smaller because others considered it unrealistic? Big changes often begin with small daily steps.
Description
What happens when you voice a big vision – and others say: that's unrealistic. That won't work. You can't do that. In this episode of my CEO diary I talk about why big goals sometimes meet scepticism and how I personally try to deal with criticism and so-called naysayers. I pick up two thoughts from Arnold Schwarzenegger that particularly inspire me: "Have a vision." and: "Don't listen to the naysayers." For me, however, that doesn't mean ignoring criticism. On the contrary: especially as an entrepreneur I need people who question me, recognise risks and also tell me when I might be wrong. The decisive question is: Is it constructive criticism – or just a "that won't work anyway"? After twelve years of Tourismus Interaktiv I have also experienced how much technologies and possibilities can change. Cloud technologies, automation and artificial intelligence today make things possible that a few years ago were far harder or barely imaginable. One of my most important insights from that: The world in which a goal is to be reached is not necessarily the same world in which we formulate that goal today. So my personal interpretation is: Have a vision. Listen to good criticism. But don't let naysayers take your vision away. And my question to you: Is there a big idea or a goal that you made smaller at some point because other people considered it unrealistic? Big changes often begin with small daily steps.