The Long Game: Shalom Lamm’s Approach to 10-Year Vision Goals Every Entrepreneur Should Set
In a business landscape obsessed with quick wins and rapid growth, thinking beyond the next quarter can feel counterintuitive—or even risky. But for seasoned entrepreneur Shalom Lamm, short-term focus without a long-term vision is the real risk.
Lamm, a real estate investor, philanthropist, and business strategist, has built his career by thinking big—not just for the next three months, but for the next ten years. “Entrepreneurs often chase urgency,” he says, “but transformation happens when you start planning with legacy in mind.”
In this post, we explore how Shalom Lamm approaches 10-year vision goals, why they matter, and how you can use this mindset to build a business—and a life—that’s built to last.
Why 10-Year Goals Matter More Than You Think
Most entrepreneurs are conditioned to operate in 90-day sprints, and for good reason—quarterly planning drives action. But without a long-term destination, those sprints can feel like running on a treadmill: busy but not forward-moving.
Shalom Lamm believes that 10-year vision goals act as a “North Star” that keeps daily decisions aligned with deeper purpose. “Short-term goals build momentum,” Lamm explains, “but long-term goals build meaning. You need both.”
A decade-long perspective allows you to:
- Make decisions with confidence
- Build with patience and purpose
- Avoid distractions disguised as opportunities
- Align your personal and business legacies
1. Start with the Legacy Question
The first step in Shalom Lamm’s approach is deceptively simple: What do I want to be known for 10 years from now?
This question forces entrepreneurs to move beyond revenue goals and focus on impact, values, and identity. Do you want to be known for creating jobs? Revolutionizing an industry? Giving back to underserved communities? Building generational wealth for your family?
“Legacy isn’t something you leave at the end,” Lamm says. “It’s something you build with intention, day by day.”
2. Design a 10-Year Vision That Includes Both Life and Business
Lamm emphasizes that a 10-year vision shouldn’t just be about your company. It should include who you want to be as a leader, spouse, parent, friend, and citizen.
Consider:
- Where you want to live
- How much time you want to spend working
- What causes you want to support
- What kind of people you want in your circle
- What kind of freedom or stability you want for your family
“The best entrepreneurs design a life they love—and then build a business that supports it,” Lamm shares.
3. Break It Down Into Milestones
Once your 10-year vision is clear, Lamm recommends reverse engineering it into annual and quarterly milestones. This creates a bridge between now and next decade.
For example:
- Year 1: Launch foundational product
- Year 3: Grow a sustainable, profitable team
- Year 5: Expand into a new market or vertical
- Year 7: Start mentoring or investing in other founders
- Year 10: Step into a legacy role or partially exit
“Ten years sounds far away until you break it into manageable chunks,” says Lamm. “Then it becomes a strategy, not a dream.”
4. Build for Resilience, Not Just Speed
A major theme in Lamm’s vision-setting philosophy is durability over intensity. He warns against chasing scale at the cost of sustainability.
“It’s easy to overestimate what you can do in one year and underestimate what you can do in ten,” he notes. “Build systems, invest in people, and be willing to go slow to go far.”
5. Revisit the Vision Yearly—but Stay the Course
While the 10-year vision should be bold and inspiring, Lamm stresses that it doesn’t need to be rigid. He recommends reviewing your vision annually to ensure it still fits your evolving life, values, and business conditions.
But there’s a key difference between adjusting and abandoning. “Stay rooted in your ‘why,’ even if the ‘how’ changes,” Lamm advises.
Final Thoughts
Short-term wins may build revenue, but long-term vision builds legacy. Shalom Lamm’s 10-year goal-setting approach is a masterclass in thinking beyond the calendar quarter—and focusing on the impact that truly matters.
Whether you’re just starting out or years into your entrepreneurial journey, take time to step back, zoom out, and ask:
What do I want this to look like ten years from now?
Because once you’re clear on the destination, every step forward starts to make a lot more sense.
