An excerpt from ‘Obliquity’ by John Kay (Pg40-41)
An old story tells of a visitor who encounters three stone masons working on a medieval cathedral, and asks each what he is doing. ‘I am cutting this stone to shape’ says the first, describing his basic actions. ‘I am building a great cathedral’ says the second describing his intermediate goal. ‘I am working for the glory of God’ , says the third, describing his high level objective.
High level objectives are typically loose and unquantifiable – though this does not mean it is not evident whether or not they are being achieved.