Too Many Goals, Too Little Time
As an entrepreneur you love the challenge of goals. So much so, that you often want to work on too many at one time. There are so many things you want to accomplish and your excitement can outweigh the reality.
It doesn’t help that in both the self-employed world and our culture in general there’s a constant pressure to do more, do it quickly, and do it well. Business owners worry that they’re not doing enough, not doing the right things, and not doing the things their peers and competitors are doing.
So, you start setting goals all over the map, which will dilute and confuse any progress. In fact, setting too many simultaneous goals can be worse than having no goals at all. You’ll find yourself frustrated and discouraged because you won’t be able to make much progress when you’re spreading yourself that thin.
At least half of the clients I work with have this issue. I often spend a good amount of time helping them decide which goals have to come first to make the other ones achievable.
There are two common mistakes with goal setting - not setting any goals and setting too many goals. My hope is to help you find the middle ground.
You have a fixed amount of time and energy. If you try to focus on a bunch of different goals at once, you can't give each goal the attention it requires to actually achieve that goal.
Be honest with yourself - how many goals are you juggling right now? I would bet it’s more than you should be. You are not alone. This is a classic productivity mistake – and unfortunately an easy one to make.
The cure is simple: cut down your list of goals to something much more manageable.
A great place to start is to make a list of all the goals that you’ve currently got your hands in, or that you’re just about to start. You might want to split your list into “personal” and “professional” goals.
If you truly want to focus and execute, you need to stick with the quality vs. quantity rule. Work out the relative importance of each goal on your list that you want to accomplish over the next twelve weeks.
Step One: Your numero uno goal
First and foremost, choose a “keystone” goal before anything else.
This should be the one goal that, when accomplished, makes everything else easier or more attainable. This goal should have the potential to make an immediate and large impact on your life.
The advantage of this is the reward of tackling something that will have clear results that you can see as soon as you start working on it. It’s like having a few bites of dessert before the meal.
Step Two: One or two more. Period.
The next step is to choose one or two more goals. That’s it. No “here’s an extra just in case I finish the others ahead of time”. Not gonna happen. And if it does, you can pick a goal then from that handy list you already created.
Step Three: Write and commit
Now write down these chosen goals and commit to them by creating a step-by-step plan. Select a deadline for each goal, and then reverse engineer the actions necessary to get there.
Having fewer, more targeted goals that you can actually achieve will give you the inspiration necessary to take on the next three. By continually setting and achieving goals you’ll create a sustainable momentum that will lead you to success.
Do you want some close-up support around goal setting and accountability? Sign up for one of my Path of Action Accountability groups.
P.S. Ready to stop spinning in place and get to the other side of your goals? Here are several ways I can help:
Download my free weekly planning guide - it will help you become more intentional with your time, develop a clear action plan for your week, and ensure that you are focusing on activities that will move your business forward - Download Now
Join our next CEO Power Planning Session and spend two and a half hours ON your business. During this facilitated workshop, you’ll set and prioritize your next 12-week goals, break them down into an executable action plan and create a resource plan - Join the Wait List
Apply for the next Close the Gap Program and stay on track to achieve your most important goals. 1:1 support and guidance on prioritizing goals, creating a plan and putting structure and routines in place. Then 12 weeks of group support around execution - Apply today