Dreams Quote by Sheryl Sandberg
““I recommend adopting two concurrent goals: a long-term dream and an eighteen-month plan. (...) Typically, my eighteen-month plan sets goals on two fronts. First and most important, I set targets for what my team can accomplish. Employees who concentrate on results and impact are the most valuable (...) Second, I try to set more personal goals for learning new skills in the next eighteen months. It's often painful, but I ask myself, "How can I improve?" If I am afraid to do something, it is usually because I am not good at it or perhaps am too scared to even try. (p.54 & p.59)””
About This Quote
Source Book: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, Sheryl Sandberg, 2013
Balancing a visionary long‑term dream with a concrete short‑term plan drives both team performance and personal growth.
In simple terms: Combine big vision with actionable steps.
Key Takeaway
Set dual goals: team impact and personal learning.
Themes
leadership
growth
goal‑setting
teamwork
self‑development
Mood
determined
optimistic
reflective
Type
advice
motivational
leadership
When to use this quote
- project management
- career advancement
- learning new software
- public speaking practice
Key Concepts
strategic planning
skill acquisition
motivation
risk‑taking
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you prioritize team vs. personal goals?
- What support helps you face skill‑learning fear?
A Different Perspective
Balancing both goals can stretch resources and cause burnout if not managed.
![“[Eric Schmidt] explained that only one criterion that mattered when picking a job- fat growth. When companies grow quickly, there are more things to do than there are people to do them. When companies grow more slowly or stop growing, there is less to do and too many people to not be doing them…” quote by Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/23b/sheryl-sandberg-439_feminism_eric-schmidt-explained-that-only-one-cri_16526.jpg)
