Ready, set. goal!

Intentional Goal Setting for Entrepreneurs

Every year, we entrepreneurs begrudgingly await December to evaluate the year and prepare for the next. We go crazy on social media and post all of our upcoming ideas and objectives to get everyone excited about what we will be rolling out in the new year, and then...life happens! We take time off for Christmas, count down the New Year, and then we look up and it's March! So, I want to take the time to share a few quick points to help you be SMART and Realistic with your goals!

​If there’s one thing we know about goals, they have to be SMART, right? After all, that’s what we’ve been told for years. The only thing that matters is that your goals are specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and timely. Yet, while that looks great on paper—and clearly it’s easy to remember—it doesn’t go far enough for those who want to achieve big things and position themselves or their business in reach of new clients and new joint venture partners.

Think about it. Do you want to be stuck with “attainable” and “realistic” goals when what you really dream about is a 3-day work week, frequent luxurious travel, and enough money to fund a few charities or causes for humanity? (I know I don’t). Unfortunately though, those safe, smart goals ALONE aren’t going to get you there.

In fact, they might even do worse than simply “not get you there.” They may actively hold you back and slow down your momentum if you don't achieve what you thought you would in a time frame you desired.

Consider what happens when you set an “attainable” goal of earning 10% more than you did last year. You might work 10% more. You might spend 10% more on ads or product creation. You might even reach out to 10% more potential clients. And you’ll likely earn about 10% more. “Not bad!” you say. After all, that was your goal. But did that 10% goal inspire you to work harder? Or did it create a subconscious ceiling on your earning potential that you’re unable to break through? Sometimes you get stuck or comfortable and this my friend is when you get off track.

Rather than focusing on goals that are attainable and realistic, savvy entrepreneurs know that the key to incredible success lies in creating lofty goals that feel out of reach—maybe even UN-attainable. They don’t strive to earn 10% more than last year. They want 50% or even 100% more. They stretch themselves. They find new—and better—ways to do things, so they don’t have to work twice as hard, but they remain open to the possibility of doing so—at least in the short term—when it’s necessary.

Of course, you cannot simply declare crazy goals and expect God and or the universe to hand them to you. And that’s exactly why putting aside those smart goals is so…smart.

When you shun the attainable in favor of the “holy cow, how will I ever do THAT?” goal, you push yourself beyond those self-imposed limits and reach for the stars. Sure, you might not double your income, but you’re almost guaranteed to do better than a mere 10% increase you mentioned while you were caught in the sauce of everyone else's New Year Resolution momentum . So push your boundaries. Set big, audacious G.O.A.L.S that help you (Go Out And Live Spectacularly) . Even if you fail, you’ll be much further ahead than those smart goals would leave you. Cheers to all that you have in store in the new year.