Fellow creative, this time of year we are bombarded with pressure-filled messages from brands, coaches, and all sorts of places in the online business space. And I get it, this time of year is full of possibility. 

I believe that we can approach all of the possibility that awaits us in the new year in a way that better serves us well. So, when it comes to choosing goals that honor your intentions, that protect your time and your energy, and propel you towards how you uniquely define success, this is a process that takes a little more planning ahead of time. But, I promise you, it’s well worth the extra effort!

We can look forward to enjoying the holidays with our loved ones. We can look towards the new year and all of the promise that awaits us there. But, I’m a big believer that this time of year doesn’t need to be so stressful, especially with all of the pressure out there to, you know, “finish the year strong” or “plan to make 2023 your best year!”

Choosing Goals That Serve You Well In 2023

As we dive into the process of choosing goals, I want to point you to another resource that may serve you well. Last week I shared on the Brand Strategy Podcast a few reasons why perfectionism may not be a mindset that serves you well when setting your goals. So be sure to head on over here to tune into that episode if that would be helpful for you. 

Choosing Goals That Serve You

Now, when we think about setting goals for the new year, a new quarter, or any stretch of time, there are so many different processes and methods and systems that we can use. From dedicated goal setting tools to goal setting methods left over from your corporate days. There are a lot of options to consider here! Instead of getting dialed into one specific way of creating goals or believing that there’s a right way and a wrong way to set goals, look at it this way:

Is there a way to set goals for your business that serves you better?

For example, in years past, I have tried all sorts of different methods to setting goals, and I’ve bought the planners, I’ve signed up for the paid workshops, I have followed the, SMART Goals planning method that people have raved about for years. And none of those methods really worked for me. And I think that what I discovered with that was I was trying to make myself and, by association, my goal setting process look like someone else’s. 

Enjoying The Process

As an introvert and as an introspective person in general, I find that rather than following a formula for creating goals, choosing goals in a way that honors my energy and allows me to engage in a process that brings me joy, feels better for me!

And shouldn’t setting goals for your business be somewhat enjoyable? I mean, if these are going to be the metrics and the targets that we’re pursuing for the next 6 months or 12 months or however long, shouldn’t we enjoy that process and shouldn’t those be goals that we get excited about? 

So, some questions that I want you to consider when you think about how you want to approach whatever goal that you have in front of you. 

• Is this something that will serve you well with whatever goal you’re considering? 
• Will achieving this propel you towards your definition of success? 
• When you go inward and look at where your vision for this goal came from, are you finding that this is a goal that you’re pursuing for yourself? Or is this a goal that you chose based on external sources? (you know that influencer that you follow, your mom’s well-meaning friend or your high school bestie)

Using Your Feelings

Just a few simple questions can help us to focus on creating more clarity for ourselves when it comes to setting goals on an annual or a quarterly basis. And goodness knows, this is a topic that I’ve covered in so much depth in years past here on the blog!

But rather than getting hyper focused on how to set goals or a step-by-step method to follow, I encourage you to focus more on how it feels to set your goals.

• Are you excited by the possibility about the possibility of achieving that goal? 
• Are you proud that you have created that goal? Is that a goal that you believe will align with how you uniquely to find success? 
• Is that a goal that will motivate you even during a slow season, even during a hectic season or when you’re feeling overworked and overwhelmed? 

I find that when we are pursuing targets, it can be so easy to not only hyper focus on achieving one specific outcome, but we can easily become rigid in our approach to pursuing that goal. 

The Importance Of Flexibility

When you originally sat down and said, “Hey, this is the target that I want to experience or I want to achieve in Q1 of 2023, and this is how I want to make it happen…”. Then, inevitably, life happens. Or, the method that you thought you’d follow doesn’t quite map out the way you thought it would. We then get frustrated and feel as if things aren’t working out for us, right?

Instead of being so tied to a specific goal or a specific way of achieving that goal, bake flexibility into your approach. 

Not only do I encourage you to be a bit flexible with your goals, but I also encourage you to be incredibly flexible about how you achieve them. When we are pursuing any kind of growth or success within our businesses, there are a number of ways with which we can achieve that outcome. And what works for one business may not work exactly the same for your business, and that’s okay!

I think that owning a business and being an entrepreneur is this nonstop process of experimentation. You’re constantly experimenting and playing with what works most efficiently, what is the most enjoyable or profitable (or maybe both!) 

And so throughout that process, I encourage you to think about how you can have more fun with setting goals in this new year, and also how you can hold flexibility in mind at every step of the way. 

Choosing Goals That Support You And Your Lifestyle

Friend, I hope that today’s post leaves you feeling encouraged and motivated for all the possibility that awaits you in the new year. And above all else, remember that your goals are metrics within your business that are designed to support you and your ideal lifestyle in your ideal outcome. 

So whatever goals you’re setting for the new year or the next quarter or the next several quarters, I hope that they just light you up. 

As always, I’m cheering y’all on from Waco.