Business Isn’t Evil—It’s About the Numbers (and What You Do With Them)

Let’s get real: business is about making money. Cold, hard fact.

Now, does that mean you should spend your life chained to a job you hate just for a paycheck? Absolutely not. You should enjoy what you do. Ideally, it should feel less like a “job” and more like a calling. But here’s the truth most people don’t want to say out loud: without money, none of it works.

Some folks whisper about money as if it’s “dirty,” or somehow less noble to care about it. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Jacob Needleman, in his classic book Money and the Meaning of Life, points out that the real problem isn’t that we care too much about money—it’s that we don’t care enough about it.

And he’s right.

Money: Not “More Money,” but “Enough Money”

Notice I didn’t say “importance of more money.” I said “importance of money.”

Think about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. At the bottom you’ve got food, water, shelter. Last time I checked, all of those cost money. Move a little higher—safety, love, esteem, even self-actualization—and money still plays a role.

Here’s the problem: most people never stop to ask themselves, What is my relationship with money? Instead, they let money happen to them. That’s not strategy—that’s luck. And luck is not a plan.

A CEO’s Lens

Now, flip the frame. Put yourself in the shoes of a CEO or senior manager.

Do you think they’re laser-focused on the bottom line? You bet they are. If not, update your résumé—because a business ignoring profit is a business heading straight for the ocean floor.

It comes back to WIIFM—What’s in it for me? Your senior leader’s WIIFM is results. That’s why they’re in the chair they’re in. Because at the end of the day, business performance = shareholder happiness.

So if you want room to explore your passions and have the freedom to work how you want? Simple: deliver the numbers.

Rule #14: Freedom Comes From Results

The easiest way to earn flexibility in your career isn’t by talking about your dreams—it’s by proving your value. Numbers talk. Numbers buy you trust. Numbers open doors.

I’ve distilled this into a simple, three-step framework I’ve used again and again:

1. Get Your Numbers

2. Market Your Numbers

3. Keep Your Boss Off Your Back

It’s not rocket science, but it works. Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Get Your Numbers

Back in Step 6, we talked about SMART goals. This is where the rubber meets the road. If you don’t deliver, nothing else matters. Miss your numbers and you earn poor reviews, a poor reputation, and fewer opportunities. Nail them, and you buy yourself leverage.

Step 2: Market Your Numbers

Here’s the trap too many fall into: they do the work, but nobody knows. Big mistake. Getting results is just the price of admission.

If you want influence, you need visibility. That doesn’t mean being obnoxious—it means being intentional. Make sure decision-makers know you’re delivering. Share results. Tell the story. And above all, network. Because results that stay hidden may as well not exist.

Step 3: Keep Your Boss Off Your Back

This is the one that makes people laugh—until it happens to them.

Imagine: you boosted productivity by 37% and proudly told the entire organization. Amazing, right? Wrong. Turns out your boss’s top goal was improving quality, not productivity. Suddenly, your “success” makes them look bad. Guess who’s about to climb all over your back?

Lesson: don’t just chase numbers—chase the right numbers. The ones aligned with your boss’s (and the company’s) bigger goals.

The Reality Check: Politics Exist

Some of you might be cringing at all this—“Ugh, politics.” But let’s be honest. Politics exist in every organization. Pretending they don’t is like sailing without checking the weather. You can ignore it, but you’ll pay the price.

My take? Don’t fight reality—work with it. Find the most efficient way to navigate office dynamics so you can do what you love and help others along the way. I’ve always said, “I don’t make the rules, I just exploit them.” (One boss hated when I said that—but she also admitted the system worked.)

Action Item #14

Here’s your takeaway for this week:

Get a copy of your boss’s SMART goals.
Review your accomplishments against them.
Schedule a conversation where you share the alignment.
And then ask: “What else can I do to make you more successful?”