This week I shared with my writing group that I was feeling a little discouraged about my lack of progress toward some of my business goals. One partner suggested I move my arbitrary deadline to after I receive the results of my NBC-HWC exam. As soon as I realized her idea was the most self-compassionate option, something remarkable happened. By removing the pressure, I started to move forward. It reminded me that the best way to conquer any daunting task is simply to take the next step. My ongoing journey through change includes photos from a recent hike to Olallie and Talapus Lakes.
Set a Clear Goal
My hiking partner’s number one goal last week was to swim in an alpine lake. Knowing what I know about her abilities, I suggested we hike to Olallie and Talapus Lakes (6.2 miles/1220′ gain) in a new-to-her part of the Cascades known as the Alpine Lakes. Feel free to read about other tips on setting SMART goals here.
In comparing the specificity and singularity of her goal, I realized the next step toward my business goal of “finding new clients to help” was too nebulous. What kind of clients? How many? Doing what? How long? Helping how? And what do you DO to “market” yourself, anyway? Most importantly, could I be missing an important next step or skill that needed to be developed FIRST?
Outcome Goals
Marketing scares me. The thought of it often prevents me from moving forward. As an introvert, I enjoy writing and helping people one-on-one or in small groups. But self-promotion makes me want to hide. Just as C. and I identified one goal for our hike – swimming in an alpine lake – I needed to identify an attainable goal for my business that I was ready, willing, and able to implement.
I realized my business goal was an outcome goal, over which we have zero control. Climbing Mt. Rainier is an outcome goal. But the weather might not cooperate, we may get sick, or a partner might get injured, any of which could thwart our best efforts.
Process Goals
However, we DO have control over process goals that increase our odds of success. Such goals might include hiking twice a week, eating sufficient protein, carbs, and fat to support our endurance efforts, getting adequate sleep, hydrating every hour, and participating in strength training several times a week. You get the idea.
So how might I change finding X clients in Y months — an outcome goal — to a process goal? What next step might I be missing? What actions do successful business people take? If I set a process goal to connect with like-minded people, instead of finding X clients, I might decide to send Z well-crafted emails or create a support group to encourage each other and brainstorm the next steps. That’s something I can get behind.
Your Turn
Jot down 2-3 goals you have. What part of your goals do you have complete control over? Can you identify whether they are outcome or process goals? Consider the skills you need or the next step you might take to reach them. If they are outcome goals, can you change them to be process goals? What does it do to your motivation to do so?
Planning and Preparation
We climb a mountain one step at a time. Likewise, entrepreneurs build a company one client at a time. Looking at the whole can be confusing, even overwhelming. If I’d asked C. in January whether she’d feel comfortable swimming in an Alpine lake by mid-summer, the answer probably would have been, “How?”
Every goal requires planning, whether you are focused on the outcome or the process. Look at the skills you need to acquire and start building them. For the hiker, this might mean learning how to do a step-up and getting comfortable carrying a pack. The small business owner might need to learn how to hook a prospective client in the first line of an email or get comfortable offering contests or promotions.
I don’t know who first said it — Benjamin Franklin? There’s a whole web page about it — but “A failure to plan is a plan to fail.” Tossing wishes into the wind won’t make them materialize. So, jot down several next steps – a rough plan – and you’re more likely to reach your goal.
Your Turn
Look at the process goals you came up with in step one. Pick one you’d like to strategize about. Brainstorm 5 different ways you might go about getting that process goal to “take.” If your goal is to connect with five prospects, plan how you might do so. By text? email? how many per day? at a meet-and-greet? conference? will someone you know introduce you?
Can you figure out how much time each path might take to get you closer to your newly defined goal? Do you have a deadline or time frame by which you would like to complete your goal? The more planning you can put into it, the more likely you are to reach it.
Take the First, Then the Next Step
The first step toward your goal can be the hardest, but there is only one first step. Being confident in your reason why is a huge part of finding motivation to move forward. I’ve learned during the past 15 months that creating tiny action steps – things you can do in five minutes – helps. How? By helping you build self-efficacy, a fancy term for the belief that you can do something. It also helps you build momentum.
As you take bigger steps, you grow in self-confidence and feel yourself capable of doing harder tasks. You flex your growth mindset and learn that mistakes and failures are merely learning opportunities. Before you know it, you amass enough wins to carry you ever closer to the finish line.
Once we reached Talapus Lake, we continued up the steeper path to Olallie Lake. C. had done harder hikes, so we both knew she could do this one. When we reached Olallie Lake, I quickly changed into my wading shoes and plunged into the water. C. raced to join me, a stone’s throw away from accomplishing her goal. She dunked her head twice while I took a video and photos as proof.
Your Turn
Look at the planning list you generated in the previous section. Pick one item and break it down until you have five-minute, bite-sized action steps. If your process goal is to reach out to five people a week, and you’ve planned the first five people you want to contact, which ONE could you send, call, or text TODAY?
The Next Step: Persistence and Progress
If there’s one area of my life where I have persistence, it’s my weekly hiking. You could argue that making 27 trips to the mountains over seven months takes commitment and follow-through. I don’t think about it that much, I just do it. For me, it’s a habit I’ve built over many years.
I want to build a similar habit of connecting with people. People who are great at marketing would probably say the same thing–they just do it. What if I acted like I knew what I was doing? I’ve tried redoing my websites, running a contest, reaching out to people on my mailing list, offering free sessions, and contacting former clients. While some of these actions have generated results, it feels very slow. What if I just haven’t found the right “prescription” for me?
Instead of telling myself I’ve failed, I’m rewriting that message to “Try something else.” The next step I’ve taken this week is to create a few small online support groups in hopes that doing so will help build my confidence in running larger group sessions. I’m also contacting like-minded people for walk-and-talks to see what has worked for them. No matter what happens, I’m learning. And – gasp – yes, even having some fun in the process.
Your Turn
Every time you follow through on one of your difficult action items, find some small way to celebrate. Give yourself a sticker. Snuggle with your kitty or puppy. Go for a walk. Indulge in five minutes of mindless surfing (set a timer so you don’t get sucked into the void!) Find some non-food way to mark your accomplishments in the early phase while you’re trying to establish a habit.
By celebrating your progress, you make it more likely that you’ll succeed in your next challenge. Above all else, don’t give up! I’d love to hear about your successes in the comments!