Think in Objectives: A New Approach to Getting Things Done

The Implementation Trap

Here's a common scenario: You want to create a business website. Your first thought might be:

"I need to learn a website builder tool, with its complexities of options, buttons and controls..."

Sound familiar? This implementation-focused thinking immediately creates barriers:

• You must learn new tools
• You get lost in technical details
• You focus on "how" instead of "what"

But what if you could simply say:

"I want a professional website that helps customers find my storage business"

This objective-focused approach opens up possibilities rather than creating barriers. Let's look at some real examples of this shift in thinking.

Real-World Success Stories

From Code to Communication

A developer wanted to create a phone app. Their first approach was:

"I want to use Swift to create a phone app"

This implementation-focused thinking limited their options and added unnecessary complexity. When they shifted to:

"I want an app to help auties"

The conversation transformed. Instead of getting stuck on programming languages, they explored:

• Different approaches to helping their target audience
• Pros and cons of various solutions
• Implementation options that best served their goals

The Business Integration Challenge

A CTO consultant faced a complex challenge: five different databases from various consultants, each solving part of the business needs. The traditional approach would be:

"We need to merge these 5 databases and rewrite the connecting services"

Instead, they focused on the objective:

"We need an efficient system that gives us a complete view of our business data"

The result? Work that would have taken a week with contractors was completed in an afternoon, with better direct control over the outcomes.

The Historical Towns App

A weekend coder wanted to showcase historical towns and their stories. Instead of:

"I need to learn mobile development frameworks and set up a development environment"

They focused on their goal:

"I want to create an app that showcases historical towns and their stories"

This shift in thinking led to exploring various ways to achieve their objective, rather than getting stuck on technical implementation details.

The Power of Natural Communication

One of the most powerful aspects of objective-focused thinking is the ability to communicate naturally. Take the case of a storage business owner in Indonesia who needed a website. Instead of learning technical terms, she could:

• Ask for SEO improvements in plain language
• Request color scheme changes naturally
• Discuss layout preferences conversationally

She achieved professional results without needing to understand the technical implementation details.

How This Works in Practice

Look at how this very blog post was created. Instead of diving into writing techniques or content management systems, we:

1. Started with clear objectives
2. Reviewed relevant materials
3. Asked clarifying questions
4. Refined the approach through natural conversation
5. Created structured documentation

Getting Started with Objective-Focused Thinking

Ready to try this approach? Here's how to shift your thinking:

1. Start with What, Not How

   • Instead of: "I need to learn [tool]"
   • Think: "I want to achieve [goal]"

2. Focus on Outcomes

   • Instead of: "How do I implement this?"
   • Ask: "What am I trying to accomplish?"

3. Communicate Naturally

   • Instead of: Technical specifications
   • Use: Natural language descriptions

4. Let the Discussion Guide You

   • Instead of: Jumping to solutions
   • Allow: Exploration of options and approaches

Your Next Step

Think about a project you're working on. What's your real objective? Not the tools you think you need or the steps you think you should take, but the actual outcome you want to achieve?

That's your starting point for objective-focused thinking. Try it with BB, and experience the power of focusing on what you want to achieve rather than how you think you should achieve it.