It’s so easy to get caught up in the 6-figure, 7-figure, build a course noise that we forget to focus on what we actually want for our businesses. But what would happen if you focused on really mastering how to set goals and achieve them?
The goals you have for your business determine so much about how you spend your time, how you direct your team’s time, and where you devote resources to that it’s important to be super clear on what those goals are.
One of the most important aspects of how to set goals and achieve them is to start with what actually works for you. Your personal preferences, work style, and needs are so much more relevant than what you “should be” doing.
What Do YOU Want?
An example of this sort of “should” advice is the typical line we all hear of “grow, grow, grow.” The reality, though, is that constant growth mode can mean disaster for your business. Taking the time to focus on sustainability and efficiency is necessary for successful growth in the long term.
Another key to how to set goals and achieve them is boundaries. A common pitfall with service providers is that they have terrible boundaries that do nothing but hurt them. However, if you want to make progress on your goals, you have to set boundaries that support what’s important to you. This will help you focus on what’s important each day, week, and month!
When you want to set goals and achieve them, you also need to know what type of business model you’d like to build so you can focus on the steps that are important to get you there.
If you don’t want a product, then it may not be as important to build a large mailing list right out of the gate. If you rely primarily on referrals for your service business, for instance, building your network is likely far more important than a huge email list.
If you want to be a paid speaker, spending all your time building a product may not make sense, but writing a book to base your signature talk around could be the way to go.
How to set goals and achieve them all starts with what you want.
Get really clear on that, shut out the noise, and let the magic truly happen!
Practicality + Patience
The next step to setting goals and achieving them is to break them down into manageable pieces. It’s tempting to dive right in, but without a solid inventory of what needs to happen to get you to your end point, you’re much more likely to get lost along the way.
If this type of nitty-gritty work isn’t your favorite, consider whether adding a project manager to the mix would be useful. The skill of breaking down big rocks into smaller, achievable steps is something a project manager excels at — and it’s a necessary part of getting any big project completed.
The last element to how we set goals and achieve them is patience. Yes, patience! As we work towards a big goal, we have to be able to stay the course and actually do the work that matters.
For instance, doubling your revenue isn’t likely to happen overnight. It’s also not going to happen because of flashy, shiny objects but rather through small incremental steps that you conquer day after day, week after week.
The ability to stay the course is so often what separates successful outcomes from not so successful ones.
So if it’s time to set some goals and achieve them, be sure to consider incorporating these elements into your plan!
