Episode Summary
In this solo deep dive, Russel Dubree—former agency owner with an eight-figure exit and now a trusted coach to growing agencies—dives into why traditional goal setting often fails and what agency owners can do instead.
Whether you’re scaling to your first $1M or pushing toward $5M+, this episode gives you a practical, mindset-shifting framework to make 2025 your most intentional year yet.
Highlights:
- Why 80% of people quit their New Year’s goals—and how to avoid it
- How to break goals down into strategies and tasks that actually lead to success
- Why traditional goal-setting methods like SMART can hold you back
Agency Info
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Company: An Agency Story
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Guest: Russel Dubree
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Year Started: 2021
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Employees: 1-10
If we’re trying to achieve something big and beautiful, a good strategy for a tough goal does not understand the concept of time.
Russel Dubree
Key Takeaways
Most Goals Fail at the Starting Line
Russel challenges the assumptions behind traditional goal-setting methods like SMART goals. The real problem? Most goals aren’t even goals—they’re a mix of tasks and vague hopes.
A proper goal is a clear, measurable outcome.But more importantly, it must be supported by a strategy you believe in—not just wishful thinking.
“If hitting a really awesome goal was just a set of to-dos, we’d all be rich.” —Russel
Strategy Beats To-Dos Every Time
Setting a goal without a strategy is like trying to lose weight by writing “go to the gym” on your calendar. Instead, reverse-engineer your biggest obstacle and start there.
Start with a strategy you believe will work.If you don’t know yet, your goal should be to discover what that strategy is.
Don’t Divide Big Goals Equally—Make Them Make Sense
Avoid the mistake of simply dividing big goals evenly across time. Progress isn’t linear, and neither should your planning be.
Instead of equal increments, create meaningful milestones.Ask: What’s the most important thing I need to do now to make the rest possible?
Embrace the Messy Middle
The gap between setting a goal and achieving it is murky—and full of uncertainty. That’s normal. Russel encourages agency owners to:
- Build systems that remove obstacles
- Create space to think and work on the right things
- Track, not just outcomes
Show Notes
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