IBM’s Tiny Target Strategy
A Better Way to Win Big
The Counterintuitive Strategy That Made IBM Win
Back in the 1920s, IBM—then called CTR—was led by Thomas J. Watson Sr., a sales genius with a surprising strategy: make goals easy.
Instead of pushing his sales team with huge, stressful quotas, he set small, achievable targets. The kind that felt almost too easy to miss.
And it worked.
Salespeople, no longer paralyzed by pressure, made more calls, took more shots, and built real momentum. Watson even launched something called the “100% Club” to celebrate anyone who hit their modest quota—no pressure, just recognition.
Within a few years, 70% of reps were hitting their goals consistently. Confidence soared. So did sales.
IBM didn’t grow by setting massive goals.
It grew by making success feel inevitable.
When I Set the Bar Too High
I used to set ambitious goals like:
“Write daily.”
“Post on LinkedIn every day.”
“Build a new product this month.”
You can guess how that went. I'd crush it for 3 days, then burn out, feel guilty, and stop entirely. The cycle repeated.
Eventually, I tried something that felt almost silly:
I lowered the bar.
I said, “Just write 100 words a day.” Or “Just post once a week.”
It felt like cheating. But for the first time in ages—I actually stuck with it.
Why? Because I was no longer battling resistance. I was building confidence.
And that changed everything.
Tiny Goals > Big Pressure
Setting small, achievable goals isn’t laziness. It’s strategy.
Because small goals:
Feel safe to act on
Give you early wins
Build momentum through repetition
Once you build consistency, scaling becomes natural.
What once felt like a challenge starts to feel like a habit.
Practical Tips: Apply IBM’s Strategy to Your Life
1. Shrink the Goal Until It Feels “Too Easy”
Writing: Instead of 1,000 words/day → Start with 100
LinkedIn: Instead of posting daily → Try once a week for 4 weeks
Fitness: Instead of “Workout 5x/week” → Just 5 pushups per day
2. Focus on Actions, Not Outcomes
Business: Instead of “Get 10K followers” → Focus on “Write 3 posts/week & comment daily”
Sales: Instead of “Close $10K/month” → Focus on “Send 10 cold emails/day”
3. Use Momentum to Gradually Level Up
Once the action is consistent, increase it naturally
Think of it like leveling up in a game: confidence grows with each level
Remember: Small wins release dopamine. And dopamine builds habits.
Question for You
What’s one goal you’ve been procrastinating on because it feels too big?
How can you shrink it until it feels laughably easy?
Reply or comment with your answer—I’d love to help you reframe it.
Did you know?
Marcus Aurelius journaled daily.
Jerry Seinfeld wrote just one joke a day.
James Clear says: “Make it so easy you can’t say no.”
The world’s most consistent creators didn’t start with giant goals.
They started with small actions—and just never stopped.
Now it’s your turn.
So… what’s your “too easy to fail” goal?