SMART Goals for Your Business

Most business owners have good intentions of following their dreams, but sometimes those dreams go by the wayside when there's soooo much stuff to do in your business. 

We've all been there, done that. But... there is a way to get to your goals faster.. 

There is one thing to consider when writing down these goals – your purpose, your WHY. I’m going to push you on this – when you’re living your life’s purpose, you are actually doing yourself and the world a service! Why do you want to achieve these goals? Do they make your life better? Do they push you to the next level?

One way to figure this out is through meditation, ruminating on subjects that tickle your mind day in and day out. If you’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, then get up, put together a business plan, and START A BUSINESS. If you’ve always wanted to learn ballet, THEN TAKE A CLASS AND DANCE. The time is now! Not tomorrow, not “sometime in x years,” it’s NOW.

Too many people are out there unhappy because they haven’t started to do the things they want to do, not living their true purpose. You’re never too old, too fat, too financially strapped, etc. Seriously. When there is a will, there is a WAY. YOU WILL FIND A WAY WHEN YOU ARE LIVING YOUR PURPOSE!  For example, I was 2 months out of chemotherapy, weak and bald, and I went to Glacier Park and walked for 1.5 miles. Granted, it took me two and a half hours to do it, but I did it! I started HIME Wellness (my wellness community) in August 2016 – three months after chemotherapy. Who thinks of starting a business when she just got over a major illness?! THIS GIRL. HELPING OTHERS IS MY PURPOSE! If I can do it, so can you!

 You can start by mapping out a plan with your purpose in mind. I’ve read a lot of interesting theories and execution plans, and the ones that seem to work the best are simple – they consist of a plan that has at the most three goals, with three action items underneath.  Whether you subscribe to the 12-week work year, which I highly recommend, or any other personal goal plan, the key is to be SMART about your plan’s goals.  SMART as in Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Conscious.

 For example, what if I had a goal that stated, “in 2022, I want our education events for The Villalba Law Firm to grow.” That sounds vague, right? But what if I stated, “I want our education events for The Villalba Law Firm to grow to 1 weekly event or webinar focused on the specific topic for that month starting in January.” That’s a SMART goal. That’s also a real goal for me – so we can bring more content to you!

Let’s do a personal one – which I always suggest in addition to business/career goals. “In 2022, I want to be healthier.” That’s usually what everyone says at the beginning of the year, right? Again, way too vague! “In 2022, I will exercise at least for 30 minutes daily during the month of January and record what I do, whether it be yoga, running, hiking, etc., so I can lose 5 pounds by February 1 and get stronger.”  Bingo - that’s also a SMART goal. It’s totally possible to lose 5 pounds in four weeks via exercising, but I would take it a step further and also eat healthy food, sleep more, etc. because if you’re still eating pizza, sugar, and big Macs, you’re not going to be healthy. You can then implement this same goal for the next month, 12 weeks, whatever.

Once you start attaining your goals, you boost your confidence and trust in yourself so you can accomplish other things. You’ll naturally start moving yourself towards a better version of yourself. You can set a SMART goal for meditating more, studying, learning a new skill, whatever you want to set as your personal goal. Now.. why would you want to lose weight? How does that fit in with your purpose in life – well, if you’re healthier, you can do more things, right? ;)

 Next, write three action steps to achieve that goal. They also have to be realistic and specific.

So, for the weight goal, three action steps could be:

1. Join a gym, running group, dance class, etc.
2. Hire a personal trainer
3. Download an app that tracks exercise and diet (or buy a Fitbit, etc.)

Finally, you want accountability. I know that sounds obvious, but really, when someone holds you accountable, you don’t want to let that person down. It’s just that whole psychological aspect, right? If in your heart, you truly want to achieve those goals, you’ll take that extra step and find an accountability partner. My chiropractor is holding me accountable for being more active – because he knows that deep down, I really want to do the things that I want to do! My business mentor knows I want more publicity. So, she’s going to ask me every quarter – “Shannon, how many pitches did you send out? How many media outlets have you been featured on?” I need to answer that I have a few because I want to help as many people as I can, and publicity is the way to go.

 All in all, I hope this helps give you the kick start you need. As always, I encourage everyone to study, to listen to your heart, and find your purpose. I want all of you to be your best self! It just takes one simple plan. Here’s to a happy, and healthy year!