Effective Goal Setting and Achievement - Your Roadmap to Entrepreneurial Success
Andrew was six months into his freelance career. He was hustling nonstop and felt busy all the time, but his bank account and sanity were headed in the wrong direction. Sound familiar? It turns out that the problem wasn't a lack of grit but a lack of goals. See, if you don't know where you're going, any road seems like the right one – until you're lost and exhausted.
Forget that "fake it 'til you make it" nonsense. Success isn't about pretending you've got it all figured out. What is the real power move here? Getting strategic. Goals aren't about making you a corporate drone.
They're about harnessing that entrepreneurial drive, so you actually build the business you dream of. Think of it as the difference between throwing darts blindfolded and taking careful aim. Ready to get started?
Why "Just Do It" Isn't Enough
Look, hustle is in your entrepreneur's DNA. You don't sit around waiting for inspiration, do you? However, there's a big difference between being busy and making progress. That's the power of goal setting.
Think of them like a GPS for your business. Sure, you can wander and hope you find something cool, or you can program in where you want to go and follow the turn-by-turn directions, so you have a higher probability to have your ideal business and life in the time you desire.
Busting the SMART Goal Myth
Okay, I know – "Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound" sounds like something out of a dusty business textbook. Right? Trust me, there's a reason every goal-setting guide on the planet harps about this element.
Here's the thing, though... most of those guides make it sound like a chore. Let's talk about why these elements are lifesavers when your entrepreneurial life feels like a tornado.
· Specific
"Grow my business" is a snoozefest. "Double my client base by the end of the year to ___" packs a punch. It forces clarity! Think of specificity like turning on high beams in a fog. Instead of vaguely wandering, you know exactly where you're going. You might even realize "grow my business" means different things – more clients, higher revenue per project, expanding into new markets... being forced to define your goal is powerful!
· Measurable
Numbers keep you honest. You can't fake "more traffic." Did you make the 50 revenue generation calls that you needed to do, or 2? That tells the true story. Numbers can feel scary, but they're your reality check. If a goal isn't measurable, you'll probably end up either patting yourself on the back for minimal progress or beating yourself up needlessly. Attaching hard data lets you see what's REALLY working or not working.
Tracking your progress allows you to see your improvement over time. This can help to boost your motivation and confidence, as you see the results of your hard work. Businesspeople who set performance metrics and track them regularly can see productivity increase by up to 25%.
· Attainable
Don't set yourself up to fail. "Become a billionaire by summer" is delusional (unless you know something I don’t know). Build on what's realistic, yet still a stretch. This is where a lot of entrepreneurs get tripped up. Aiming too high just fuels burnout. Attainable goals don’t motivate or challenge you. The sweet spot is somewhere just outside your comfort zone - enough to push growth, not so much that it makes you want to give up.
· Relevant
Does the goal actually help you have your ideal business and ideal life? Or is it just "busy work"? Everything needs to be tied back to your big-picture vision for the business. It's shockingly easy to get caught up in tasks that seem productive but don't move the needle toward what you truly want for your business. Every goal you set should be like a stepping stone on the path to your bigger vision.
· Time-bound
Open-ended goals = procrastination fuel. Give yourself a deadline (month, day and year) – that is motivating and not suffocating you. Deadlines are the kick in the pants most of us need. It's about creating some healthy pressure, not making yourself a stress case. The trick is finding a timeline that sparks action without leading to panic.
Remember, this SMART stuff isn't about sucking the joy out of entrepreneurship. Think of it like switching from a flimsy paper map to the GPS on your phone. Yeah, there's setup involved, and now you stop wasting time driving in circles!
The Mindset Minefield
Here's where things can get messy. You can have perfect SMART goals and still stumble. Why? Because our brains are sneaky little jerks sometimes. Fear of failure, thinking everyone else has it figured out, comparing your day one to someone's year ten...
We’ve all done it, and trust me that negative headspace will sabotage your best-laid plans faster than anything. Recognizing this is step one, figuring out how to rewire those thoughts is step two (and that's a whole other podcast!).
Download my Guidebook, How To Change Limiting Beliefs We Don't Even Know We Have, by going to https://bit.ly/UnawareOfBeliefs.
80% of success is mindset and 20% is strategy!
95% of our thoughts are the same each day, and on average, 80% of our thoughts are negative!
Your Secret "Goal Fuel"
What gets you PUMPED beyond the bills-gotta-be-paid stuff? Is it the freedom to work from anywhere and anytime you want? Is it creating something that helps people and makes a difference for people? What about that feeling when a client is blown away? Whatever is IT, that's the gas in your goal-setting tank.
When you feel the grind setting in, remind yourself of that deeper "why" can be enough to reignite the fire within you.
Download my complimentary Values Clarification Exercise to help get you started on defining and getting clarity on your core values, by going to https://bit.ly/Values-Exercise.
Goal Setting is an Ongoing Workout
Goals aren't something you set once and forget them. As your business evolves, your goals need to as well. Maybe a goal you crushed now feels meh, or you need to change direction altogether.
That's not failing; that's adapting. Set regular check-ins – monthly and quarterly – to see how things are tracking and if any adjustments are needed.
Stats and a Little Oomph
An often-cited study done by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University of California, shows the true power of writing down your goals. You're 42% more likely to achieve your goals when you write them down. It seems basic, but there's power in seeing it in front of you!
And here's a quote to leave you with: "The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle." – Steve Jobs. Goals are a part of finding what lights that fire in you and for your business.
Remember to celebrate the wins and learn from the stumbles, and you'll be on the path to having and enjoying your ideal business and ideal life.
Unlock a blueprint to creating and having your ideal business and ideal life by scheduling your free consultation with me today!
Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Get the proven strategies and resources you need for massive success. Subscribe to my blog now by going to https://accountabilitycoach.com/blog and start transforming your business today!
Go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com to check out for yourself how I, as your Accountability Coach™, can help you get and stay focused on you highest payoff activities that put you in the highest probability position to achieve your professional and personal goals, so you can enjoy the kind of business and life you truly want and deserve.
Get your daily Accountability Minute shot of a single, simple, doable idea, so you can start your day off on the "right foot". You can find The Accountability Minute on https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/my-podcast/ as well as on most podcast platforms and in most English-speaking countries.
Connect with me on:
- Connect with me on Linked-in (https://www.linkedin.com/in/annebachrach)
- Subscribe to my YouTube channel with business success principles (https://www.youtube.com/annebachrach)
- Connect with me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TheAccountabilityCoach)
Check out my proven business accelerator resources by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/.
I’m the author of many books, including, Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule, Live Life with No Regrets, No Excuses, The Guide to Stopping Procrastination, The Power of Visualization, My Gratitude Journal, the Work Life Balance Emergency Kit, and The Roadmap To Success with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard, and more.
Aim for what you want each and every day!
Anne Bachrach
The Accountability Coach™
If you are getting value from any of my episodes, please take a minute to leave me a short rating and review. I would really appreciate it, and love to hear from you.