Goal Setting Tips
In a recent on-boarding meeting with a new client, they expressed their frustration with not achieving their revenue goals for last year. They fell short and were concerned that they would need to let some staff go because they did not reach the goal.
Deciding to lay off staff is a big decision and before they made the final decision, I suggested we investigate the numbers a little closer. So, we reviewed their sales from last year and found that the revenue was not as bad as they thought. In fact, we realized that their linear focus on achieving the revenue goal led them to miss some opportunities to grow their business in other areas.
When we become singularly focused on achieving the goal we set, we can sometime miss the growth that is occurring with ourselves and our team.
By setting your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be.
WHY SET GOALS?
Don’t get me wrong goal setting is an essential practice that helps us focus on what we want to achieve and develop a plan to make it happen. Setting clear and achievable goals can help us stay motivated and make progress towards our desired outcomes.
Setting goals provides a sense of direction and purpose. When we have a clear goal in mind, it’s easier to prioritize our time, energy, and resources towards achieving it.
You can download our FREE Goal Setting Workbook here.
Goals also help to measure progress and provide a sense of accomplishment when they are achieved. This is important to celebrate.
Effective goal setting involves defining clear and specific objectives, understanding the resources required to achieve them, and developing an action plan to make progress towards them.
6 GOAL SETTING TIPS
Here are some tips to help you set and achieve your goals:
- Start with the end in mind: When setting goals, it’s important to think about the result you want to achieve. What does success look like?
- Break down large goals into smaller milestones: It’s easy to get overwhelmed when facing a large goal. Breaking it down into smaller, achievable milestones can help you stay motivated and see progress along the way.
- Make your goals SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
- Write them down: Research has shown that people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them.
- Share your goals with others: Sharing your goals with friends, family, or colleagues can provide accountability and support.
- Stay flexible: While it’s important to stay focused on your goals, it’s also important to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances.
WHAT IF YOU DO NOT ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL?
The greatest challenge occurs when we have a linear approach to goal setting and do not achieve our goal or when it takes longer than we expected to achieve the goal. This can become demotivating and cause us to give up on our goals. See graphic above.
However, when we have a growth approach to goal setting, we become aware of all the other outcomes that have happened because of working toward the goal. See graphic above.
In our client’s case, when we reviewed their revenue from last year, it became apparent that there was significant growth in other areas of the company. So much growth had occurred that they recognized a great opportunity to refocus resources and develop this new revenue stream. And they did not need to lay off any staff.
What was initially a concern about not achieving their goals, became a positive outcome that they could explore to grow revenues even higher this year.
Goal setting is an important practice for anyone looking to achieve success in their personal or professional life. By setting clear, specific, and achievable goals, you can stay motivated and focused on what matters most.
However, be sure to recognize the growth that is occurring when you are working toward your goals. There may be some unexpected positive outcomes that keep you motivated toward your goal.