navigating entrepreneurship – goal setting

August 18, 2014

Whether you’re setting a goal to exceed x number of sales this month or you’re aiming to get your business plan off the ground, it can be tough learning to set realistic goals and meet them. I wouldn’t consider myself an expert in goal setting, but I do know what it’s looked like in my professional (and personal) life to set a goal for myself and make it happen. On the flip side, I also know what it feels like to miss a lofty goal and that bad experience, combined with fear, can often render us immobile. If we’re not setting big, scary goals and working our buns off to bring them to life, then we’re becoming stagnate. And we all know how detrimental stagnancy can be for your business! Goal Setting | b is for bonnie design Are you interested in setting a goal but aren’t sure where to begin? No problem. Set aside some time during your day to brainstorm. Grab your favorite notebook and a trusty pen, and sit down to write out whatever is on your mind. Keep in mind that this is your time to brainstorm, so dream big! No goal is too outrageous. Once you start limiting yourself to the goals and dreams you are “allowed” to have, then you’ll gradually keep putting yourself in a box, each one smaller than the next as you continue to tell yourself which dreams are or aren’t realistic. If you can dream it, you can do it, so get those ideas out there! As you’re writing out your goals, remember to make them SMART goals. During Making Things Happen last spring, we spent some time chatting about SMART goals with Lara Casey and, y’all, this knowledge is pure gold. SMART goals are:

  • – Specific
  • – Measurable
  • – Attainable
  • R – Realistic
  • – Time Sensitive

Don’t write down that you want your business to be more profitable next year. Describe how you want to make your business more profitable next year. For example, “I want to increase my profits by pursuing no less than 10 new wholesale accounts next year.” Not only is that goal specific, but it’s measurable. You have given yourself the goal of contacting 10 new potential retailers so you can easily track your progress. If you only contact three retailers then you know you’re missing that mark by seven. And that goal of pursuing 10 new wholesale accounts is attainable. Yes, it may be a goal that requires you to step out of your comfort zone and reach out to new shops. Yes, it may mean you need to devote time to compiling a concise and easy-to-navitage wholesale catalog. And yes, it may mean that a few of those 10 shops tell you no or don’t respond to your inquiries. But that’s not the end of the world. This goal asks relatively little of you in the hope of yielding a great return. Although that goal may be a challenge, it’s still realistic. Set goals for yourself that you believe you can do, evaluate what has and hasn’t worked for you in the past, and take those insights into consideration as you devise a plan of attack for your goals. Lastly, make your goals time sensitive. Set a date to have your goal met and stick with it! You’d be amazed at how well you’ll work toward a goal once you know the clock is ticking on it. Now that you have a small (or maybe not-so-small) sheet of SMART goals, star 3-5 that are top priority for you. You’ll burn out quickly even if you attempt to reach 10 well thought out goals, so it’s best to break that list down into more manageable chunks before you try to knock them all out at once. If you can, take those top 3-5 goals and break them down into even smaller chunks. Give yourself a step-by-step plan in order to achieve each goal. Not only will you feel a huge sense of accomplishment when you’re able to cross each step off the list, but you’ll also be able to really see how one great big goal is simply made up of tiny steps you are wholly capable of making. We build up goals in our minds as these huge, vast and out-of-reach ideas we’ll never be able to bring to life. That is so untrue, friend! With hard work and a little planning, you can knock your goals right out of the park. Give yourself a strong start as you embark on your goals by eliminating distractions that may hinder you. If you know that you end up watching Netflix every time you try to research new retailers online, then work in a location without a TV while you’re doing that particular assignment. Once you’ve located the 10 retailers you want to reach out to, then you can indulge in binge watching whatever wonderful show has captured your heart. Get some accountability while you’re making your goals happen! Take those big, beautiful goals you’re working towards and get them out there. Share them on Facebook with friends and family, bring them up during coffee with a friend, or call your mentor and ask for a loving kick in the pants when it’s necessary. The people you love really want the best for you and they are happy to help you make your goals a reality. Finally, friends, stop wishing and start working! Goals won’t happen overnight and they often don’t come easily. Things that are worth having and so worth working for, so do yourself a favor and get to it. Staring wistfully out the window won’t get you any closer to a more profitable business or a better balanced life, so go do what it takes to make that happen for yourself. You got it – I believe in you! So let’s hear it, friends. What big goals are you setting for yourselves or are thinking of setting? I’d love to encourage you as you work hard to reach them!

  1. Kate says:

    I just discovered your blog, this post is just what I needed! Thank you and I’ll look forward to reading more from you! Kate

  2. […] year goes by and cross off items I’ve accomplished. (If you need help on setting solid goals, this post may be […]

  3. Theresa D. says:

    Such a helpful post! I meandered over here from today’s on the end of year review because I am hoping to get more freelance work this upcoming year. My goal for the end of 2014 is to make an actual plan for doing so and set some realistic goals! Love the push to share your goals – I just read a stat that you are over 70% more likely to achieve it if you tell someone!

    By the way, Bonnie – I featured you in my post today about inspiring Instagram accounts. Hope you get a chance to check it out!

    Theresa

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My name is Bonnie – I’m a brand designer, strategist, and writer which all adds up to one eclectic conglomeration of qualities that enables me to serve you well! Past clients have dubbed me "the Joanna Gaines of brand design," and I've had more than a few call me a dream maker, a game changer, and a design wizard (my Harry Potter-loving heart didn't hate that one, let me tell you!). At the end of the day, I'm a big-hearted creative who will get teary-eyed as you share the heart behind your business; who will lose sleep over the perfect font pairings and color selections to bring your brand to life visually; and who will work tirelessly to empower, encourage, and equip you to share your work with the world intentionally. 

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