The end of the year means goal setting time! If you own a business, or you’re thinking about starting a business, chances are you’ve got big dreams like me.
We’ve all heard that the way to real success is in the everyday actionable steps, but does that mean we can’t dream big?
The good news is…
We can start with BIG DREAMS,
reinterpret them into TANGIBLE GOALS,
and turn those goals into everyday ACTIONABLE STEPS.
Let me walk you through the process step by step. I’ve even created a free PDF so we can do this together. This is the most inspiring and fun way to set goals for the next year and I’m so excited to share it with you!
Free Goal Setting PDF
Maybe you’ve gone completely digital–pull out the iPad!
Or maybe you’re like me and you prefer the ol’ pen and paper.
Either way download these worksheets so you can dream and plan for the next year along with me in realtime.
My Goal Setting Process Explained
Here’s the philosophy…
Dreams
In the first stage of our new year planning, we will dream.
There are no rules for this part of the process! No dream is too big or too small. Nothing tangible is required here.
Our dreams are the reason we do what we do.
They are the inspiration for every goal, and the fuel for every action. They are completely personal and sometimes vulnerable. They reside in the deepest part of our soul and help shape our entire lives.
Goals
If our dreams reside up in the farthest corners of our consciousness, then the next part of the process brings us back down to earth. Here we boil down our dreams into attainable goals.
Goals have a number or end result attached to them. Though they may not be entirely in our control, they are tangible and measurable.
Our goals point us in the right direction towards our ultimate dreams.
When a goal is met, we can prove it and share it with the world. Goals are very motivating and give us something attainable to strive for.
Processes
Although our goals are measurable and attainable, they are not necessarily in our control. So we’re going to take those goals, and flesh them out into processes.
Processes are a time-bound action or step we perform on a regular basis to make a difference in our life or in our business.
Processes are the actions we take, the daily grind.
This is the not-so-glamorous part of achieving your goals. But the truth is without everyday, small actions, our glorious dreams are unlikely to manifest in our lives.
Set the Mood to Set Goals
Set aside some time to really give this some thought. I find it really helps to block off a good amount of time and set it up as if you’re planning a date…with yourself!
Light some candles. Brew a cup of your favorite beverage. Put on your cozy slippers. And settle in for some “me time.” I can’t think of a better way to practice self-care then to combine a little pampering with fostering your inner ambitions!
So let’s dive in! If you haven’t already, print out the worksheets, get cozy, and follow along with me.
Goal Setting Step 1: List Areas of Your Life or Business
You’ll notice that the worksheets come with two “Page 1″s. This is intentional. Choose either the Areas of My Life page, or the Areas of My Business page. (Or you’re welcome to use both.)
- List every area you want to address
- For each area, choose whether you want to… grow, maintain, or scale back.
Honestly, this is the hardest part for me. I have a entrepreneurial spirit and I want to GROW ALL THE THINGS.
But the truth is, if I try to do it all I’ll burn out before the year is over and I won’t end up really succeeding in any area.
So, pick and choose. Pick your top three to five priorities for the next twelve months. And come up with at least one area you can scale back on to free you up a little bit.
Goal Setting Step 2: Write Out Your Dreams
Your dreams are the inspiration for where you spend your time, energy, and money. But don’t think about the “how” just yet.
Focus on the “WHAT” and the “WHY” of what you truly want in life.
Go deep. Think BIG. There is no dream too big. This doesn’t have to happen this year, or this decade. What do you really, ultimately want?
Go ahead and start writing. Sit in silence if needed. Skip around. And when in doubt, write down the FIRST thing that comes to mind no matter how wild it seems.
Goal Setting Step 3: Write Out Your Goals
Here’s where you can get technical. What sort of milestone would be a clear indicator that you’re on your way to your dream from the previous page?
Think tangible. Here’s where you can put down ALL THE NUMBERS.
These don’t have to be things that are in your control. They can be income milestones, subscribers counts, engagement metrics, a move to a different city, quitting your job…
It’s okay if your goals are BIG, but for this page, think in terms of a one-year timeframe. We’re not listing all of the milestones between where you are and where you eventually want to be, but what is the NEXT BIG STEP?
Once you have a goal or two figured out for each area, let’s get down to the nitty gritty of how we’re going to make this happen.
Goal Setting Step 4: Figure Out the Processes
Time to figure out how we’re going to reach these goals.
To come up with processes, think about going from big to small. In other words, if you want to achieve X over the course of the year, break that down into four quarters, then into each month within each quarter, then into four weeks in those months, and perhaps even into each day of those weeks.
Your processes will look different depending on your goals. Here are some examples:
Example #1. Say you want to write a book by the end of the next calendar year. The tangible goal is a finished manuscript in hand by December 31st. But the process may be blocking off one afternoon for writing every week. Or perhaps dedicating an hour to writing every morning five days a week.
Example #2. Let’s say you want to grow your lesson studio revenue by $10,000 in the next year. Break down that $10k into about $800 a month. If you charge $100 per student, you would need eight new students. Now how are you going to get those students? Perhaps your process would be a specific marketing action you’ll take each week until you gain eight additional students.
Example #3. If you wanted to learn a difficult piano piece by next year, you could divide the piece into sections and endeavor to memorize or learn one section per month. You might also want to dedicate an hour of practice six days a week to build a habit that is going to help you achieve your goal.
So get cracking! Be creative. But be realistic and remember that everything on this page needs to be in your control!
Goal Setting Step 5: Write Out the Plan
Depending on how specific you were on your Processes page, you may not even need this sheet. But chances are your processes could use one more step to ensure that you will actually do them daily.
So here is your task on this page:
Take your processes and turn them into monthly, weekly, or daily tasks or habits.
Make it so actionable that you could copy and paste it into your calendar.
Or pretend you are instructing your assistant to complete the task. BE THAT SPECIFIC.
When will you do the task? Where will you do it? How will you do it? For how long? How frequently?
If you don’t make your plan so obvious you can’t question or explain it away, you are MORE LIKELY to actually do the thing.
Goal Setting Follow-Ups: Check in on the Plan
Great! You did it!
You have a plan and you’re heading towards your big dreams.
Schedule a time three months from now to check in with these sheets. Make it a phone reminder. Maybe even come back to this blog post to refresh your inspiration.
So, I’ll see you back in three months!
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