Quote of the day by Accenture CEO Julie Sweet: “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough”

Accenture CEO Julie Sweet once shared a message that reflects how many business leaders approach growth and ambition. Leaders often use personal experiences and advice to guide others, and such messages tend to connect widely across industries.

Speaking at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Riyadh last year, Sweet highlighted a line she often relies on in her own career: “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.” The quote is part of a mindset she has followed while taking on new roles and responsibilities, including her journey to becoming CEO of Accenture.

What Accenture CEO Julie Sweet's quote means

Julie Sweet said, “My own inspiration is a plaque on my wall that says, if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.”

The statement suggests that goals that feel uncertain or challenging may lead to greater progress. According to her, aiming for something that feels difficult can indicate that a person is stepping outside their comfort zone.She added that she used this thinking when she was working towards becoming CEO. The idea, she explained, is not to avoid fear, but to recognise it as part of taking on bigger responsibilities.

““I look at it every day when I think about where I need to take our company, and where I need to continue to learn as a company,” Sweet said. “So I hope for all of you that your dreams scare you, because that means you’re going to make the impact that I know you can,” she added.

Accenture CEO Julie Sweet on her learning and growth at the company

During the event, Julie Sweet also spoke about the importance of learning new skills while pursuing such goals. “At 42, most of the skills that matter today I didn’t have.

Fifteen years later, I have them,” she said.She noted that when she joined Accenture in 2010, she did not have a strong understanding of technology. Over time, she worked on building that knowledge, which became important in her leadership role. “When I joined Accenture in 2010 as the general counsel, I didn’t know what a CIO [chief information officer] was,” Sweet said, adding “I come from a law firm. We didn’t have such a thing. We didn’t use technology. I’m old enough to remember when we didn’t have the internet.

”Her comments highlight that while aiming for bigger goals is important, continuous learning and adapting to new areas also play a key role in reaching them.