For your career, your small business or your awesome self.
Setting goals comes naturally for some of us. We're list makers, lofty dreamers and results-oriented. For every person who instinctually knows how to achieve goals, there are a bunch of others out there who have big dreams but don't know where to start.
Tip #1 - Know the difference between a dream and a goal.
A dream sounds something like "I want to have a job I love and make lots of money." Which is great, I mean who doesn't want that?
A goal sound like "Within in 1 year I will increase my income by XX. I'll do this by landing 5 new clients through marketing and sales."
See the difference there? A goal includes a deadline, specific outcomes and what needs to happen in order to achieve it.
Tip #2 - Set lofty but attainable goals.
I like to aim high but nothing will sabotage your success like setting an unreachable goal. How long can someone work toward something without having any results? If you have the attention span of a flea, like I do, the answer is not very damn long.
A good goal is realistic and optimistic. Setting the bar low may be the way to go for some, but I like to make myself a little nervous with my goals so that when I achieve them it feels extra kickass. Say it with me, LOFTY BUT ATTAINABLE.
"The greater danger for most of us isn’t that our aim is too high and miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”
– Michelangelo
Tip #3 - Work on the things that will help you achieve your goals.
Sounds obvious but how much time are you spending on stuff that someone else can do versus the stuff that only you can do? And how much of that time is spent on activities that will help you achieve your goals? You gotta have a defined goal to answer these questions. Your work should be intentional, not reactionary.
Tip #4 - Go after it like a freaking bulldog.
Goals are not achieved by accident or by waiting around for luck to come your way. When I set goals, they are top of mind. I double check my progress every day to make sure that I am intentionally working toward success. I keep a business bible, if you will. It's a binder with my goals broken down into The Money, The People, and The Work. Each section has pages of steps and tasks and place to jot down ideas and inspiration relating to my goals. I am up in this binder constantly so when an opportunity comes my way, I'm ready to grab it.
I'm also vocal about my goals. When you put your intentions out in the universe, you get answers. And when the people around you are aware of your goals, they'll pinch hit for you when they hear about opportunities that might benefit you.
Tip #5 - Once you reach your goals, it's time for a new set.
Living an intentional life means that you know what you want and have a plan to get there. Celebrate your achievements, take a breather and then get back to creating your next big goal.
Make your goals your bitch.
Set you goals, then focus on them. Make them a top priority and be intentional about working toward them. And if you change your mind about the goal during the process, then change the goal – it belongs to you after all.