How to Goal Plan

​You’re heard people talk about setting goals, but you have questions. Questions like: “When do I start making goals?” “How do I know if I’m setting the right goals?” “I always fail at my goals, how do I not do that?”. Ideally you’d like someone to just lay it all out for you. If that’s you, read on, friend. I’ve got you. 

First let’s do a pop quiz: Which of the following is a good goal? 
A) Get in shape
B) Be a better friend
C) Make more sales
D) Read 12 books this year

​If you answered “all of the above”, you’re wrong! If you answered D, you’re right! Ding ding, winner winner, chicken dinner! Now, let’s clarify, getting in shape, being a better friend, and making more sales are all good ambitions, but they aren’t good goals. Good goals are specific, obtainable, measurable, and have a deadline.

The problem with vague goals is that you never really know if you hit them or not. For example, if you have a goal to “get in shape” but you don’t put any definitions on that goal, you’ll never really know if you “got in shape”. However, if you change that goal of getting in shape to “run a 5k by Thanksgiving”, you now know what you need to do. There’s no question whether you did or didn’t run a 5k, whereas you might be questioning whether or not you got into shape. 

​When is a good time to make goals? 

​Today! You don’t have to wait until the beginning of the year to make goals. Any day is a good day to start making some goals. 

​How do I know if I’m setting the right goals?

​This answer is a two parter. First, think big picture. Looking at a year ahead or so, who do you want to be? What do you want to be doing? What do you want your day to day life to look like? Got the picture? Great. Any goal that helps you get closer to that picture is a good goal. Second, make sure that goal is specific, obtainable (realistic), measurable, and has a deadline. 

​How do I stop failing at my goals?

Again, your goals should be specific, obtainable, measurable, and have a deadline. You also need to have a single big picture goal (that life you’re imagining from the last paragraph) and then your actual goals are much smaller and specific and have a deadline. If you’re failing over and over to meet your goals, you are probably setting too big of goals (unrealistic), not specific enough goals, or you might not have the proper support to get you to your goals. 

​If you need help setting goals, or more importantly sticking to your goals, you might just need a little bit of support and I’d love to chat with you. I can help you nail down good goals for you, develop a plan to get you there, and help you stick to the plan. I coach women who are new to business to bootstrap and DIY their passion into a profitable business. Your first coaching session is free so that we can see if I’m the right coach for you. 

P.s. if you're looking for a tool to help you goal plan, check this out! 

The Business & Life Planner: A 12 Month Undated Planner and Goals Journal for Small Business Owners