January 20th, 2020

​It’s no surprise that at this time of year we hear a lot about business planning, and setting goals and intentions for the year ahead. But what does it really mean, to set goals? How do you go about turning your vague ideas into crystal-clear intentions? And where do you even start with your business planning?
 
When it comes to planning what you want to achieve in your business in 2020 – and life in general for that matter – wishes are not enough; you need to take action. No matter where you are in your business, you need a clear plan for taking action to turn your dreams into reality.
Fail to plan, and you plan to failHave you heard that phrase before? I love its simplicity and its truth.
 
You see, I’ve learned that the formula for success is actually quite simple:

• have a clearly defined and inspiring goal

 

• create a plan for how you will achieve that goal

 

• detail and schedule the activities you need to carry out

 

• take consistent action to complete those activities.

 
But so often I see people start with a rough idea of what they want to do but not move any further ahead. They never fully flesh out their goal or take the time to plan and schedule what needs to be done.
 
Or they create a plan, but instead of getting disciplined about taking the right actions, they file the plan away and nothing ever happens. As a result, they achieve far less than they desire, start to drift and become frustrated and unmotivated. Ultimately, they give up.
Focus your thinking and define your visionGoal setting and planning can sound difficult, but it just requires some focused thinking time. That time will be some of the best you ever invest in your business because having a goal is the difference between achieving something meaningful in your business – and, well, not!
 
A vision will provide you with a sense of purpose and direction for your business. Your vision will help you define your goals, attract your ideal clients and partners, and guide your decisions.
 
Often, we jump into thinking ‘this is what I can do, so I’ll just do that’. But having your own business means you can use your talents and skills with greater intention. Having a vision will keep you inspired and help attract the people you need to support you in reaching your destination.
Reflecting before moving towards your destinationOften what’s missing in vision and goal setting is taking the time to reflect on where you’ve come from. Your goals, your business and your personal growth are constantly evolving, so before moving forward, it’s important to assess where you are now, what’s working well and what you’ve learned so far in your business journey.
 
This is where the real learning comes in: you see your business from a fresh perspective, you can see and review those patterns that are working and those that aren’t and you can make a plan for how you’d like to do things differently.
Planning to end strong & start strongIt’s time to turn your attention to planning to end the year strong and building momentum so you can start 2020 with intention and set yourself and your business up for your best year yet.
 
You’ve still got time to work out what’s left to finish before the end of the year, so that you can start 2020 with a fresh perspective. Whatever efforts you put in now will help you end 2019 strong and start 2020 strong.
 
In the words of Brené Brown, who has spent more than a decade studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity and shame, you need to ‘DIG deep’ when setting your goals and intentions. You need to be Determined, get Inspired and get Going.
 
I’ve used Brené’s DIG Deep model to help me set clear goals for my business. As a business coach and mentor for female entrepreneurs, I’ve also used this model to add power and context to my business life.