It's Not Too Late to Set Goals for 2021
Welcome January!
2021 is a fresh start and I'm here to reassure you that it is not too late to set your goals for the year ahead. (Don't let your mind tell you otherwise!)
You know that huge potential lies within you, waiting to be unleashed.
You know that there's work to be done to fully activate your impact.
You know that living a life in alignment with your values and passions is possible.
You have big dreams and you're ready to turn them into reality and create the roadmap to make it all happen.
2021 is going to be YOUR year and the time to take action is right now, so let’s get to it!
In this blog, I am sharing with you a structure to set goals quickly and get on a path towards success as you’ve envisioned it. (Oh 2021, we’re going to crush you!)
REFLECT
The first step in shaping the future is actually looking back.
Set aside time and a quiet space to reflect on the highlights and wins of your year, your greatest strengths and biggest growth as a business owner, and the value you gave to clients and community members.
This is your time to reflect on where you’ve been and how far you’ve come in the past 12 months. (Brag on yourself, girl!)
Here are some of my favorite questions and prompts to get your reflections flowing:
What are you celebrating from 2020?
What are you proud of accomplishing during the year?
Why is your business successful?
What client feedback are you cherishing?
What marketing efforts worked well?
What lessons did you learn that you’ll carry with you into 2021?
Acknowledging the good now is like igniting fuel on next year. (Even when that reflection takes you through a year like 2020.)
You know that saying “the good, the bad and the ugly?” Yeah, to truly reflect on something requires us to look at it from all angles.
And it’s in this part of the process that your best path forward is revealed.
Where did you struggle in 2020? Where did you lose money? Was there something you invested time into that didn’t yield strong results?
When you dig into this analysis and get really honest with yourself, you will find where you’re winning, where you’re not and what levers to pull going forward.
THE ROADMAP
Have you taken some time to think about what it is you want out of 2021? If you had to boil everything down to just one goal, what would it be?
Most of my clients would say that it’s a money goal. Because reaching money goals is what makes all other goals possible. And, it’s uncomplicated. Right?
Let’s keep the roadmap to success simple.
There are really only two things you need to focus on right now to move the needle forward in your business and make everything you want in 2021 a reality:
A REVENUE GOAL + A BELIEF THAT IT IS POSSIBLE (the latter being a lengthy post for another time)
Think about it: Wouldn't you be able to live your best life - with all the people you love and things you want - if you reached your revenue goal? Wouldn't that make everything possible?
Here are four simple steps to doing just that:
Claim your 2021 revenue goal
Identify the most profitable revenue streams from 2020 that you want to carry forward and focus on offering in 2021
Analyze expenses related to the delivery of each revenue stream, and refine as appropriate
Break down your revenue goal into achievable monthly sales milestones
It may not feel natural or comfortable to review and sit with your data, but the power is in the numbers! So these four steps are critical to getting the clarity you need to create your revenue roadmap.
REFINE
You reflected on last year and created your revenue roadmap…
You know where you’re headed...
Now it’s time to organize your schedule, set priorities and create your framework for measuring progress.
Here are a handful of habits my clients use to free up time for more revenue-generating activities:
Set Timeblocks - Are there dedicated times to work with clients? Create content? Engage on social media?
Batch Your Projects - For example, imagine writing 4 blogs for the month in one sitting and not having to think about blogging again until next month!
Create a prioritized daily task list of no more than 3 items (at least one should be revenue-generating!)
Automate as many systems and processes as possible in your business
Set up a monthly review of your business to assess how things are going and refine, as needed
--How will you track the connections and offers you make?
--What other metrics do you need to track?
--What evaluative tools will you use to reflect monthly on progress and make adjustments for the next month?
When you set parameters around your time, and assess how things are going along the way, you are more likely to remain focused on the things that matter most and make adjustments throughout the year that affect your bottom line.
Now listen, I’ve been setting goals - for myself and with my clients - for years now, and I know this work isn’t easy.
Stick with it; you can do it and you’ll be amazed at how in control you feel as you embark on these next 12 months.
And, if you don’t want to recreate the wheel (and frankly, why would you?!), grab my 72-page Strategic Revenue Roadmap workbook for easy-to-follow, step-by-step guidance >>here<<. It will save you tons of time and energy by guiding you through the process of planning a year of calm, clarity, confidence and consistency. This tool gives you the structure and systems needed to achieve success - no matter how you define it.
You are making bold strides towards your biggest dreams, and I’m here to cheer you on along the way.
Go ahead and grab your favorite sticky notes and most colorful markers -- let's get this done, shall we?
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