Now that January is half over, a lot of the resolutions or goals you may have set for yourself back in December are seeming pretty ambitious, am I right? Promising to work out every week day of the new year when you worked out once a week (or, less.. let’s be honest) last year seemed like a really good idea. But now, every time you miss a day, you feel a little more guilty.

 

Goal guilt. 

 

It wrecks me every year! Last year, I listened to podcasts on goal setting for my business, and everyone was saying “dream big!” — the next step, was to break those HUGE, almost terrifying goals into little baby steps and plan mini deadlines along the way… but I didn’t listen to that. I just set my mega income goal or client # goal and started doing exactly what I did the year before, with a little more fervor. And over time, I was just left frustrated and defeated by my own goals… EVEN THOUGH I WAS MAKING HUGE ADVANCEMENTS IN MY BUSINESS. I couldn’t enjoy the success because of the bar I set for myself months earlier.

 

You can’t predict/process a whole year’s time in January. So here’s how you can set goals that are still HUGE, but realistic.

 

The 90 day year.

 

I have never once started off January first and known the direction I am headed for the year. I’ve known where I WANT to go, goals I WANT to set for myself. But each year in December, I find myself thinking “Wow… SO much has changed… I NEVER thought I would be here, doing xyz.” Sound familiar?

 

Split the year into quarters. If you know your big goals, then you can design checkpoints in each quarter – smaller goals you can focus on meeting for 90 days or 3 months. If you know at the start of January, that you need 12 new clients by the end of March, then you will get things in high gear a LOT quicker than if you know you need 48 new clients by the end of December.

 

Making goals “due” at the end of the year gives us this false sense that we have all year to work on them, and that sets us up for failure down the road. Not true failure — because if you’re running and growing your business and loving what you do, then you’re succeeding! No matter what that success looks like for you. But, consistently not meeting your goals, not having the income you want/need, not finishing your checklists, and not sticking to the promises you make yourself will fill you with doubt and create the illusion that you’re failing.

 

Plan your year in chunks. Plan them all at once, but commit to a quarter at a time, and allow yourself to be flexible and let your passion lead you. Maybe your vision for quarter four of 2017 will take a dramatic turn half way through the year. If that’s the next great step for you, let it!

 

Most of all, celebrate your wins and successes big and small. And celebrate them publicly! Not comfortable posting about your bookings and personal wins? Create small group of people that you DO want to share your wins with, and celebrate privately. Remember that business ownership, lifestyle changes, and new goals are going to be more easily attained if you have accountability or support of some kind.

 

Happing planning!

-Jo