How to Actually Achieve Your Goals
It's that time of year. Love it or hate it, goals are being set and resolutions are flowing. Personally, I'm a New Year resolution geek -- I love the 'reset' that the New Year encourages, and since I'm highly analytical, it's a good reminder to look back at the previous year to determine a go-forward plan.
But I totally understand why not everyone feels that way.
For many, New Year resolutions are just empty promises made because you feel like you have to make them. They're hurdles that never seem to get accomplished because you have the same amount of time every year, and it never quite feels like enough. They're narcissistic, unrealistic, and made just for show.
But they don't have to be that way.
Setting goals -- whether they're New Year resolutions or quarterly objectives -- is so important, especially when running a business. Balancing client work, my personal brand, and my personal life and relationships is challenging, and goals keep me on track. But once you've set them, it's important to actually keep them.
Here are my recommendations:
Set the Right Goals
I love the S.M.A.R.T. acronym (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.)
Saying that you're going to be healthier or that you're going to get more business in 2020 is pretty broad. Saying that you're cutting out all sugary drinks by March or that you're going to make 10 cold calls per day in Q1 is much more specific. You'll also want to make sure that they're attainable -- while I'd love to make a billion dollars this year, data doesn't point to that being very easy with the level of work life balance I like to maintain. Doubling my revenue, however, is completely possible.
Write Your Goals Down
One study showed that you're 42% more likely to achieve your goal when it's written down.
In addition to writing down annual and quarterly goals, I also make a habit of writing down my list of daily goals. The physical act of writing it in ink makes it more real to me, and it's also a good way of keeping track of my priorities. If you want to give yourself an extra boost of motivation, write them on a sticky note and put it on your computer, a mirror, or anything that you tend to look at on a daily basis.
Break Your Goals Down into Objectives
Selling 10,000 courses this year sounds pretty overwhelming.
Chipping away at a sales goal of 200 per week sounds a lot less scary. Breaking big projects into small micro-tasks is a good way of keeping yourself on track and actually getting started in the first place. Dreaming big is my middle name, but holding myself accountable with small daily tasks is what takes things from dreams into realities.
Have an Accountability Partner
I used to be the type of person who was ashamed to say my dreams out loud.
I felt like I would jinx myself or look foolish... but I think it's much more foolish to always play it safe. Having an accountability parter can help you crawl out of that shell, give you the encouragement you need, and also provide fantastic feedback. Accountability partners can come in many forms: maybe it's your best friend or your spouse. Or, maybe you take a more formal route and join a Facebook group, hire a coach, or join a mastermind. I've done all of the above and they've given me amazing results!
Make Time for Your Goals
You know the saying, "A goal without a plan is just a wish."
Time doesn't appear out of thin air just because you set a resolution for yourself. You have to make it happen! I love blocking my Google Calendar for things that are important to me, like educating myself, exercising, or even catching up with accountability partners. I also love Asana for prioritizing tasks, including tasks that work towards my own personal goals.
Oh, and in case you're wondering what's on my list of resolutions for 2020...
- I'll be launching my membership site for fellow freelancers in Q1. It will be full of client workflow tips, sales templates, monthly group calls, and guest presenters. Think a condensed version of my mastermind program, an alternative to Patreon, and a great companion to my online courses.
- I'll be doing a deep analysis of my content marketing strategies and pulling the lever on what's working. Currently about 90% of my site traffic and leads come from YouTube, so I'll likely be focusing a ton on optimizing that channel and scaling production for it.
- I'll start a passion project. This was on my list from last year, and it unfortunately got pushed to the side. I've tossed around starting a music podcast, creating a short film, or taking some kind of class. I still haven't decided which route I'll go down, but having something that's a little silly, not at all monetized, and that's completely yours is important when you're in an "always on, always busy" type of business.