I'm Val! Coach for creatives like you who are ready to be healthier, happier and more empowered women who love the business you run, the people you serve and the life you live!
Iâve got a little secret to share that might be a surprise coming from a goal setter like myself. Iâm not a fan of new yearâs resolutions. There it is. I said it. đ¤ˇđźââď¸
Itâs not that I donât love the idea of a fresh start and goal setting, those are some of my favorite things! But I definitely think your typical new yearâs resolution is not that helpful and most of us need to rethink the way we start the new year.
Iâm a big dreamer. Sit me down for a few minutes, give me a problem or sprout of a dream and Iâm likely to come up with more ideas than I know what to do with. Itâs one of my favorite things to do, but yâall, it gets real overwhelming, real quick. So this year Iâm committing to setting my 2019 business goals strategically, and I want to help you do the same!
If youâre anything like me, you come up with a few HUGE business goals that you want to accomplish by the end of year, and by the time February or March roll around, youâve either forgotten those goals or havenât made any progress on them yet. Then those ugly imposter syndrome thoughts flood back into your mind and you wonder if youâll ever actually get anything done or if youâre even cut out for this entrepreneur thing after all. Â Itâs kind of the worst and itâs also classic to the average creativepreneur like yourself.
So before you finalize your goals and plans for 2019, consider this doable way to create and, more importantly, keep your new yearâs resolutions.
SET ONE BIG GOAL THAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH IN 1 – 3 MONTHS
One of the most common mistakes we make as entrepreneurs is to set goals that are so big they actually contain 3 to 8 smaller goals inside the one huge goal. Then we get overwhelmed because it can be SO hard to start a massive project like âredo websiteâ or âgo full time.â Then, if we do get started, the finish line is so far away that itâs hard to imagine we will ever make it. Next thing you know, the motivation is lost, 2020 comes along and itâs time to set goals again. The struggle is real, yâall.
But there really is a better way and you can totally do it!
Marathon runners know that they canât just jump in a race and hope to finish. It takes training. As entrepreneurs and business owners, we may not need to go through the physical training of a marathon runner, but we do need mental training. We need to prove to ourselves that we can actually get. crap. done! But friend, that wonât happen if we just jump into our marathon goal and hope for the best.
So instead of setting a huge marathon goal, letâs set one goal that we can reasonably finish in 1 to 3 months.
Yep, thatâs right. Just set ONE goal, and make sure that you can finish that goal in 1 to 3 months.
This might make you feel like an underachiever at first. You might look over your shoulder at whatâs-her-name, who always seems to be getting #allthethings done (probably even while working beachside, amiright?). But weâve gotta focus up, get rid of those negative thoughts, concentrate on that one goal and get it done.
Letâs look at the two main benefits of setting one big goal at a time.
First up: motivation. If you set a huge marathon goal and begin to fall behind, itâs easy to lose motivation and quit. If you set an attainable 1 – 3 month goal, you can have a rough couple of weeks or months and still know that you can finish well. Heck, you can even fall 8 months behind and still accomplish your goal by the end of the year! Aim low and avoid disappointment, am I right? đ Itâs not that we shouldnât aim high and dream big, but unless we plan realistically, those big dreams will only ever be dreams.
Second, when you set an attainable 1-3 month goal you could actually be done with that goal by the end of January! Wouldnât that feel amazing?! All the achievers and box-checkers rejoice! đ Now that youâve completed that goal, you have the rest of the year to set another 1-3 month goal and accomplish that one too. When youâve finished your second goal? Repeat the process again and again. Soon enough you will become the entrepreneur that people see and ask, âHow in the world does she get so much done?â
PRACTICAL GOAL CRUSHING TIPS
One of the BEST things you can do to make real progress on your 1-3 month goal is to break it down into smaller goals or checkpoints that can be accomplished in a single day or week. That way each week you can focus on one thing that can actually get accomplished and push your project forward! Need more productivity help this year? Check out my 9 Productivty Hacks!
This oneâs for my big dreamers out there! If you have a huge goal like going full time or replacing your spouseâs income, take that huge goal that might take a year or two to accomplish and break it up into smaller 1-3 month goals. Map it out on a piece of paper or a whiteboard and remind yourself of what youâre fighting for and how youâll actually get there. Then focus back in on your smaller goal and get it done!
So hereâs to rethinking new yearâs resolutions and making some real strides this year! Letâs set those smaller attainable goals, get âem done, and then do it over and over again! đŞđ˝đŞđ˝
Iâd love to hear from you! Was this helpful for you and your business? Whatâs your first 1-3 month goal for 2019? Drop a comment below, and letâs talk about it!
I'm Val! Coach for creatives like you who are ready to be healthier, happier and more empowered women who love the business you run, the people you serve and the life you live!
Feeling overwhelmed? Try my proven 6-step process to set yourself up for your most productive week yet. I promise theyâre totally doable and breakdown proof. đ
So much helpful info to consider !
So glad it was helpful Kat!!