Goals aren’t just for the end of the year, or the beginning but small businesses need to be working on our business (not just in it) on a regular basis. (Remember the saying about “the cobbler’s children have no shoes”? Google it but it’s basically saying not to forget about putting your skills and efforts to work, on your business.)
Anyways, I have recently been working diligently on creating some new goals for myself and mapping them out. Because after all, if we haven’t set any kind of goals, how will we know that we have gotten there, or haven’t.. or rather how to get there. And it just isn’t about setting goals but ones that are SMART. Because, as you know we have to create specific goals that we can measure, achieve within a timeline and that is relevant to what we want to achieve in our business or personal life.
SMART Goals
I’m sure you have heard of SMART goals, who hasn’t right? But just a quick recap just in case –
- Specific (simple yet significant)
- Measurable (motivating and meaningful)
- Achievable (yet attainable)
- Relevant (reasonable, realistic and results-based)
- Time based (time sensitive or time limited)
We get that if we haven’t created goals, we don’t know if we have achieved them; but, we also know that if we create something so grandiose that we will likely get scared and just run from it. I know I would, and well, I have.
A show of hands…
>> Who has said they will lose 50 lbs?
>> Who has said they will make $100,000 this year?
>> Who is vowing to run a marathon?
>> Who is going to be a better person?
You get the idea and while those are SUPER goals, don’t let me be your kill joy.. those are still so possible for you.. but what are you lacking to get you there?
The MAP!
Yep, your map, the guidance to get you there.
You need to drill it down.
>> If you are going to lose 50 lbs, by when? If within 6 months, then that is 8.3 pounds a month and 2.1 pounds a week… but if within 9 months, then that is 5.6 pounds a month and roughly 1.4 pounds a week – a bit of a difference right? Let’s not forget the How… what are you going to change, because clearly that isn’t working already for you or you wouldn’t need to set this goal.
>> If you are going to make $100K this year, that’s roughly $8,333 a month, or $1,083 a week. Again on the How. Like, how many clients will you have to gain? Will you up sell to your current clients? Will you charge more to your current or new clients (or products)? Where will you find those new clients? What will you have to do to find the new clients? What are you going to do differently?
>> If you are going to run a marathon, when is it? Where is it because temperature matters and so does terrain? How many months do you have until that race so you have an idea on how will you build up to that distance? And well, how will you change your intake (that’s food) as that might be important?
>> If you are going to be a better person, well, what is a better person to you? Does that mean you curse less (*covers eyes*) or does that mean you will do one random act of kindness a week, or month? What will you be doing that is different from the amazing person you are today?
You get the idea, right?
Break it Down, Put it Down & Share it
So, now that you have created these goals – go ahead and brain dump the questions and answers and put it down somewhere. Keeping it in your head just doesn’t count!
Once you have all of the info and have broken it down into bite sized pieces, write that down somewhere. Writing things down makes it a little more real. If we just keep it in our head then we will be more likely to forget about it or keep pushing it back.
Now, share it. You don’t have to post it on Facebook, unless you want, but you must have a few folks, or even one person, that you want to share some of your goals with. This person could help hold your feet to the fire. When we share things with others, we tend to be a little more accountable than if we just kept it to ourselves. Sometimes we need that extra push to help and motivate us.
Timeline & Set into Motion
Next.. you need to create timelines for your steps. I mean sure, you could skip this step and not plan it into your day, week or month. However, if you haven’t set any deadlines for you to adhere to, you won’t. But if you say by the end of X Month, I will have done #s 1-4 and then by Y Month, I will have done #s 5-6. And within Month X and those 4 steps, each week I will do 1 step.
And if you have a to do list, what days will you work this in? If you don’t plan it in, you never will.
Bottom Line
I hope this makes so much more sense because I want YOU to succeed in your life and business.
Consider this one last example – a planned goal versus one without:
- You got in your car and set to drive from California to Virginia with no plan, no map, no timeline or goals… how do you think that will pan out?
- You got in your car with a plan: you know the route; know the stops along the way which includes reservations for hotels, where to eat, where to get gas, where to insert fun activities; you share updates with a friend for safety; know the estimated drive time each day and the estimated arrival time and thus have arranged for where to stay when you arrive.
Which do YOU want to follow – the planned trip or the one with no plan?
So, for the success in your life and business…plan your goals:
- Create SMART goals
- Map out the goals
- Break it down
- Write it down
- Share it
- Create a timeline
- Put it into motion
- Reap the rewards!
You can do this. If the growth in your business includes building a website, optimizing your website yourself with these FREE tips (below) or outsourcing it to me, running ads for your product or service on Google, setting up email marketing, or the like, please contact me. I can help.
~Kristen
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