Yay! So you’ve got big plans for the second half of the year…
You’re ready to get 100% clear about your vision and map out a simple, doable action plan so you stay committed to reaching (and even exceeding) your biggest goals. But where in the heck do you start and how do you stay committed to making the impact and the money you want?
Follow these 5 simple steps, and you’ll have a simple, doable action plan to achieve your goals:
Step #1: Celebrate Your Wins
As solopreneurs, we tend to forget to celebrate what went right. Take some time to reflect on any wins you had this past year. It may seem counterintuitive to reflect on the past to plan your future. But, if you don’t take time to reflect on what worked in the past, you’ll miss the opportunity to build on what’s already working.
You may find that you enjoyed doing something that fell outside of your typical “scope of work.” Or, you may have discovered that you honed a new skill or talent. Or, you may just be proud of yourself for making it through an incredibly challenging year. Whatever it was, take note of it and celebrate those wins.
Step #2: Be Honest About Your Current Situation
Being honest about where you are helps you understand what needs to change for you to make the impact and money you want. Do you need to revisit your service offerings to maximize profitability? Do you need to cut operating expenses? Maybe you need a simple way to attract the right clients. Or maybe you need a simple sales system that turns visitors into paying clients?
If you aren’t where you want to be, this step may feel uncomfortable. Embrace that feeling because in order to change it, you have to be honest about what’s really going on.
Step #3: Clarify Your Future Vision
You don’t want to chase other people’s dreams. This is your life and your business. And you have the power and the ability to experience exactly what you want. What do you want to experience or achieve by the end of this year?
Let yourself get carried away by possibilities. Allow yourself to dream big and explore what really matters to you. You can start clarifying your vision by answering the following questions:
- What do you want to achieve by the end of this year?
- Why are these goals important to you?
- What would reaching these goals look like? Paint a picture in your mind of how it would look like and how it would feel to achieve these goals.
If you end up with a long list of goals, that’s great! Now, go back and choose the top 3-5 goals you want to focus on over the next 6-12 months. These goals should feel a little out of reach but not so far out that they feel unattainable or unrealistic.
Step #4: Create a Simple, Doable Action Plan
Now that you know what worked, what didn’t, and what you want to focus on over the next 12 months, the next step is to break down those big goals into small, doable, actionable steps you can take over time.
But first, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret first…
You do NOT have to know all of the steps. Let me repeat that. You do NOT need to know all of the steps. What really matters is that you take action (no matter how small) every day so you get closer to achieving your big goals.
How to break down BIG goals into small, doable action steps:
- Choose 3-5 goals you want to focus on over the next 6 months
- Break down each of those goals into high-level steps
- Break down those high-level steps into simple, doable tasks you can do each week
The purpose of this step is to create a simple, clear and actionable plan of what you need to do each week to hit your goals. Now all you need is a schedule to work on your TOP 3 goals. This is where your goals take priority and where your focus leads to remarkable results!
Step #5: Schedule Time to Take Action
This is how you turn your vision into a tangible reality. Scheduling these smaller, doable action steps keeps you from getting derailed by drama, doubt, and distractions. Instead, you’ll stay highly focused and committed to achieving your big goals.
Create a schedule that works for you. Choose the time of day that you are most productive and creative to work on your weekly action steps. By adding small blocks of time to work on what’s most important to you, you’ll find more focused time for client work, self-care, and those dreaded admin tasks.
Whether you use a physical or digital calendar, blocking time keeps you motivated to stay on track! It can be as simple as writing down what you want to focus on or as detailed as a week-ahead planning template like the one I use.
Setting realistic goals, taking small steps every day that move you closer to reaching those goals is what will turn your big vision into a tangible, feelable reality.