Setting goals in your business (and even in your personal life) is an extremely useful and valuable process. However, we might not be getting the full benefits of goal-setting if we're not setting the right type of goals in the right way.
When thinking about the things you want to achieve, are you setting goals that are too easy? What about goals that are way too challenging? Neither end of the spectrum is beneficial in helping you really grow. When you set goals that are too easy, you remain in your comfort zone — or what I like to call “the settling zone” — and you don't get the expansion you're seeking. It's the equivalent of trying to bulk up for a fitness competition but only using 5-pound weights that require no effort from you at all. On the other hand, if you set goals that are too difficult for you to achieve (setting yourself up for failure from the beginning), you'll most likely feel defeated and want to give up on your desire entirely.
Planning on how to accomplish your goals doesn’t require a lot of time, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Otherwise, you’ll be wondering every morning what you’re supposed to be doing and will remain stuck! You've got big dreams, and it's time to be intentional about bringing them into your reality in a way that leaves you feeling empowered and accomplished, not overwhelmed. Here's the scoop on crafting challenging goals that propel you forward:
1. Set Small Goals that Create Big Impact
We're starting with the foundation – those “small but mighty” goals. These are the goals that only need a little bit of extra effort to reach. For example, if you've made a commitment to being more consistent with certain marketing efforts (i.e. scheduling social media posts for the week), then the small goals would be each of the steps to get you there. This would be things like deciding which lead magnet to market in some way to your social media audience every day; or choosing which social media platform will have the most impact for your business. Or it could be something as simple as creating a list of topics (tied to your lead magnet) to get content ideas for your social media channel.
These goals help maintain your stamina and move you forward incrementally. It's like “taking daily vitamins” for your business. These goals shouldn't stress you out and should help you smile with a sense of accomplishment. Setting and achieving these smaller goals also fuels your self-confidence. You only gain confidence by continuing to do “the thing” that you want to get good at, so keep at it. Whether it's growing your email list by 10 new subscribers each week; or looking back and seeing that you've posted valuable content on your Instagram account every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the past 4 weeks — celebrate it. Those small goals matter and contribute to the overall big picture.
2. Set Medium Goals that Ignite Transformation
If you're ready to stretch a little bit more in your growth, then setting medium goals is where it's at! These are the goals that definitely push you out of that dreaded “comfort zone” we hear so much about. Because the thing is, growth isn't found being comfortable and cozy within the boundaries of keeping things the way they've always been. Growth is in pushing past those self-imposed limits. Growth is in doing something you've never done, not keeping things the same. If you really want to see change in your business, then you have to change what you're doing.
Some examples of medium goals would be getting over your fear of “going live” on Facebook or finally accepting those podcast interview invites. These opportunities allow you to not only hone your message — because you're getting lots of practice telling your story and how you help LIVE, but you're being exposed to new audiences as well. These could be potential new subscribers, followers, students, or clients — simply because you got out there and touted your thought leadership. Great medium goal, right? And it would entirely transform your business.
3. Set Large Goals that Motivate & Inspire
Alright, here we go — finally! Let's talk about those BIG dreams. You know, the ones that make you sweat. The huge goals that make your heart race. The ones that scare the living sh*t out of you! Now we got that out of the way…
These goals are supposed to be scary. They're supposed to stretch and challenge you. They should be just a bit out of reach for now. But remember, big, scary, challenging — none of it means unattainable. These goals make take some time to accomplish — months or even years! But think of it as a marathon, not a sprint.
Break them down, step by step — perhaps into small or medium goals that can be achieved daily, weekly, or monthly. Imagine the pride you'll feel knowing that you're consistently chipping away at these monumental goals every single day.
Why are goals so crucial anyway?
And why, you might ask, are goals so crucial? Well, think of your business as an airplane (side note: Donald Miller does an amazing job of using the whole “business as an airplane” metaphor in his book, How to Grow Your Small Business…but I digress.). And the goals you've set for yourself and your business are your map, your compass, your tools & technology that you use to navigate the journey. If you're not setting goals, then you're aimlessly doing things — like flying without a destination and going in circles.
If you truly want to run your business like a real business and get a lot more out of it, then it's time to set some goals! Make goal setting a priority for your business. Break them into manageable steps, then re-evaluate them every so often to make sure they're still in alignment with where you want to take your business.
Want more goal-setting inspiration? Join our LIVE workshop in September!
I’ll be sharing 5 unique ways to set your goals in our upcoming workshop The Art of Goal-Setting: 5 Creative Strategies for Impacting Change in Your Life & Business! These tips work for both your business goals and your personal goals. So if you're serious about improving your business and your quality of life overall as an entrepreneur, then you should definitely join us live.
Get all the details and register today! Hopefully you can participate live along with some of your business besties.
