As we close out the year, your inbox is probably overflowing with year-end promotions about starting the new year off right. 

I know that I don't have to tell you that it takes more than the perfect planner, mastermind or product to “succeed in the new year.”

But where to start?

If you’re like most entrepreneurs, you have no shortage of goals you want your business to achieve and it can be easy to have a bunch of goals that don’t align with each other.

This is where a good, old fashion, brain dump comes in handy. Write down ALL your goals. Don’t worry about being practical or timelines, just write down everything your business owner heart wants to achieve. 

If making a list is the last thing you want to do or you are looking for a piece of art in your office, you could even make a vision board.

Review your list

Most of us have way more goals than we have time in a single year. That’s ok, Stay calm, your ambition is what sets you apart! 

Look at how your goals most likely can be broken down into categories for example; educational, financial, growth, or networking. Then rank your goals in each category, if you could only complete one, which goal is most important to your business? Then select your 2nd most important, 3rd, and so on. 

Examine your top goal in each category and break it down into steps, what do you need to do to achieve it? From there, decide what steps you want to complete and when. I like for my goal steps to coincide with the yearly quarters. 

Quarter 1- January 1 to March 31. 

Quarter 2 - April 1 to June 30. 

Quarter 3 - July 1 to September 30

Quarter 4- October 1 to December 31

 

Set yourself up for success 

There is a reason 80% of New Year's resolutions fail. This is not only due to a lack of planning but because of unrealistic expectations. While you are definitely capable of crushing all your goals in the first quarter, doing so will most likely lead to burn out or even resentment towards your business. 

Have reasonable expectations for yourself. Don’t forget you are only human and need to eat and sleep! While you're working on your goals for your business, it’s also a good time to create personal goals: hobbies, health, time with loved ones. I actually tell my clients to do this FIRST and then add in business. That’s why you became an entrepreneur! If you find yourself knocking out your goals faster than you planned, you can always move on to your second goal in that given category. 

As you achieve your steps to accomplish your overall goal don’t forget to celebrate your accomplishments!

How do you plan for your business in the New Year? 

Rooting for you,

Meridith