Goal Setting in 2021

For some, even the thought of that is overwhelming - but it doesn’t have to be.

If you took the time to set goals at the start of 2020 - it quickly looked very different. A lot of feelings came up, and a ton of plans changed - even still. 

But that doesn’t mean you have to abandon the ship completely. 

Most of my clients struggled with the simple fact that they use the previous year's metrics and outcomes to plan the current year’s goals. I get that this is the practice for most business owners, but there is another forward.

Setting time aside to work on the business instead of in the business is key. Most times, when we think of goal setting, we think of larger numbers, or the numbers directly tied into sales. And yes, these are very important, but if your business took a dive or a leap since the pandemic, there is a chance that way more needs to come into focus.

As business owners, we all have that one area in our business that gets most of our attention. That is okay - as long as there is some energy going into the rest.

The thing is, no matter where you’re currently at, this practice is not only vital for success but to feeling balanced as well. 

With everything going on right now, it can be hard to see a path forward or to know where to start, below are some tips to get started - 

1. Run through each area of the business and come up with the 5-7 annual goals that you know you want to accomplish for the year 

Why + How

Annual goals are important because they are also the roadmap to the quarterly and monthly goals. And without that roadmap, most goals are never completed/reached because of time constraints. 

When writing out your goals, start an issues list to go along with it. Why? Because whether we like it or not, there will be issues - time, money, clarity, know-how, etc. Identifying issues helps you plan a lot more realistically 

Ex - maybe you realize an issue will be time or a for need support

• know now you will need to hire (employee, contractor, intern)

• then the focus becomes planning to spend that money

• then it becomes a plan to save for it, interview interns, or find someone you can trade services with - AGAIN - all of this takes time 

So get it all on paper, work it all out, and then assign steps/tasks to each month/week until you need to reach your goal date. 

2. Create daily tasks in each role within the company, and track them (sales, marketing + social media, finance, operations, etc)

Why + How 

If you can even set 2-3 things per role/function in your business that will help you move some of the bigger goals forward, it will save you anxiety and the days needed to catch up if you leave it for too long. Tracking these daily (even on a spreadsheet) will not only keep you accountable - BUT - will keep multiple fronts of the business going at once. So, identify the tasks, and set a reasonable expectation to go with them. When I set 5 minutes to start for most of my clients, it’s usually met with laughter first, then an email that says - I get it now, and thank you because this is manageable.

Ex - Marketing 

• 10-15 min blog prep

• 10 min newsletter prep 

• 10 min content calendar review/scheduling

3. Setting a standing weekly meeting to keep yourself accountable (yes, even if you  are a solo-preneur)

Why + How 

This is one of the most important practices to have within your business - and yes, even if you work solo. It is the best way to stay on track with projects, smaller daily/weekly tasks, and traction towards larger quarterly and annual goals. Meeting flow? See an example below

Ex - Meeting Flow 

Review 

• any issues from the previous week 

  *this is important as it will help you track what areas are causing you stress and what has or hasn't worked in trying to change it

• new business/new goals 

  *what popped up in the last week, and what plans/numbers need to change to accommodate it?

• daily/weekly tasks

  *if you’re not completing these, it’s an issue, so identify why

• any steps or action items that you had to help you reach your quarterly or annual goals

• WINS - celebrate, even the small stuff

• establish action items and ‘to do's

This will keep you motivated, accountable, and also help you identify anything that needs to change.

Start here, and if it’s too much - reach out.

I have tools, templates, and everything that is needed to make this process feel approachable, successful, and positive. Get a clear plan so you can feel the impact of working on your business, and not just in it.

Email me today for your free consultation, and let's get started! Business no longer a solo endeavour - see services HERE.