It’s almost time for goal setting for the new year! The final quarter of the year has launched. What were the goals you set back in January? Are you on track? Did you back your goals up with quarterly plans, monthly action, weekly achievements and daily tasks? It’s easy to dream big once a year and then allow yourself to get buried in the details, feel unfocused with distractions, and settle for achieving what you achieve. Goal setting is just the first step to actual achievement. When you do it right, it will set your interior design practice up for big results and bigger rewards.
When goal setting you want to ensure that your goals are big enough to excite you and push you, but not so big that they feel entirely unattainable. If they feel too big, you are likely to quit too soon and settle for what shows up. And if your practice has been growing steadily or perhaps it’s been a bit stop and start, one year up, next one down, settling is selling out.
And goal setting works best when you do it in increments that you can “see.” 90 days is long enough to accomplish big goals, but not so big that you can’t imagine it and so you get lost along the way. Let’s create your 90 day plan with goal setting.
1. What Do You Want to Be Different in Your Business in 90 Days?
Answer this question with clear bullet points, skip the story telling. Do you want more clients? Do you want richer projects? Do you want to have that new assistant on board? Do you want time for a juicy vacation? Do you want to create and fill an emergency business fund? Do you want to launch a new marketing initiative? You decide. Goal setting is about what you want, not about pleasing anyone else.
2. Write Down No More Than 5 Goals for Your 90 Days
Make them clear, focused and ones that light you up. The ability to achieve your goals is directly tied to the enthusiasm you feel around them.
3. Select One or More Colleagues, Partners, or Mentors to Share Your Goals With
This is about creating accountability, so that when the going gets tough (and it always does) you have someone who will help you stay on track and moving forward. Accountability is not about shaming you for what you don’t get done, but instead it’s about supporting you through challenging places and celebrating your wins with you.
4. Take Each Goal and Break It Into Monthly Actions, Then Weekly Steps
Effective goal setting follows the old adage, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Some goals will need more bites while others can be dispatched with just a couple of chunks. Breaking down each goal makes it manageable and achievable much faster.
5. Block Each Step on Your Calendar Weekly
This is critical and often overlooked. Adding more to your “to do” list is never the answer in goal setting. Instead it’s about actually committing to the right action on your calendar weekly so you make guaranteed progress each week. This helps you avoid the last minute scramble and race to achieve at the eleventh hour.
6. Track Your Progress Weekly
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. You can’t achieve what you don’t track. Applying metrics and tracking your progress is the key to achieving the goals you set.
7. Plan Your Celebration in Advance
If your goal setting includes new clients, how will you celebrate? If it includes a vacation, then why not have that planned and paid for with a champagne kick off? If it’s a new marketing initiative, how will you celebrate? You choose, just don’t forget to embrace the arriving at achievement before you start striving for your next 90 day goals.
Goal setting is best done when you have time to dream big and feel into what you want your business to be. Your business achievements will mean personal as well as professional growth. If you’re already achieving accidentally, imagine what will happen when you apply intention, goal setting and a plan for progress. You’ll be unstoppable!
