When I ask entrepreneurs to define their business goals, it is not uncommon for me to get a giant eye roll and a, “setting goals never works for me,” response. And as you read this, you may be thinking the exact same thing.  But don’t worry, knowing how to break down your goals for success is something that nearly every entrepreneur struggles with, especially at the start of each new year.

Setting goals sounds so easy, but we tend to fall short when it comes to turning them into reality. But I am willing to bet you are doing it all wrong. 

I hope that didn’t sound too harsh, but I’m thinking it might be the truth because I’ve been there, done that myself. It isn’t enough to simply write out the things we want to see happen with our business, we have to break them down into actionable steps in order to have something to work towards. Otherwise, we’re left with a list of beautiful dreams and no idea how to make them come true. 

Let’s look at four super simple steps you can start working on today in order to turn your goals into action and find the success you’ve been looking for. 

 

HOW TO BREAK DOWN YOUR GOALS FOR SUCCESS:

1. Set goals.

What do you hope happens with the future of your business? Where do you want to see things grow to in the next one, two, three, or even ten years? Heck, what do you want to see come true in the next week? Whatever your goals are, write them out. But be sure to make them super precise, writing out every single detail of what each goal means to you. 

2. Break them into tasks.

Now take your list of detailed goals and turn each part of them into a task. What are you going to DO to make these goals happen? Think of this as your “to-do” list, giving yourself a job to do in order to reach each goal.  

3. Create a timeline.

You have your list, you have your tasks, and now you need a timeline. How long are you going to give yourself for each goal? Be very reasonable with this timing. Don’t say your new business will retire your husband in three months. That sounds amazing and I genuinely hope you make that a reality, but don’t put that unnecessary pressure on yourself to achieve giant goals in a small amount of time. Give yourself grace and set a realistic timeline for each of your goals. 

4. Spend time taking action.

This is where the action takes place. You’ve done all of the work on the backend, now it’s time to take the steps and complete the tasks you created for yourself. This part should be enjoyable, so if you’re finding any of it painful, don’t be afraid to go back to step two and create new tasks to help you achieve your goals!

Setting goals and finding ways to crush them truly shouldn’t make you roll your eyes. This is the part of your business that should bring you joy. A time to sit down, dream of the future, and build a plan for how to break down your goals for success.  

If you ever find yourself growing weary in your goal setting, stick to just one goal at a time and follow these four simple steps until you have turned it into a reality. I wholeheartedly believe that you have the power to make anything possible for your business. Decide to believe that for yourself this year and get pen to paper on writing those goals and creating action!