#83 – Don’t lose a year. Make this easy goal setting tweak now

Whether it’s the start of the year or not, we all find ourselves at different points in our journey setting new goals, striving to achieve existing ones, or perhaps even questioning the necessity of setting goals altogether. Regardless of our stand on goal setting, we all have ambitions for our creative journey.

It could be launching a new project, getting better at photography, growing our business, or simply finding more balance in our lives.

Whether we set ambitious goals or avoid setting goals altogether to dodge the feeling of overwhelm, we have our own unique approach to move towards our creative aspirations.

The Missing Step

Oftentimes we avoid setting goals, fearing the pressure or overwhelm or we might set goals but miss out a key step which is, defining it to be measurable and tangible.

Whether it is a goal or an objective, we often miss out on making it specific and measurable, hindering our ability to gauge progress and track results. While keeping it low pressure initially feels easy, it ultimately leads to a lack of direction and accountability.

No matter how big or small a goal is, whether it is a goal or an aspiration, everything needs clarity and specificity if we don’t want to lose time and energy.

The Power of Specificity

To be able to actually gauge our success in what we do, breaking down our business into categories and setting specific goals, whether it’s client projects, digital courses or content creation is essential. When an objective is accompanied by quantifiable metrics and specified timelines, that level of specificity empowers us to see our own progress measurably and stay aligned with our long-term vision.

Setting goals doesn’t have to be a daunting task. In fact, breaking down our aspirations into smaller, actionable steps can make the process more manageable and less intimidating.

Instead of aiming for big shifts, focussing on small, specific steps inch us closer to our goals each day. By being specific about what we want to achieve, not only clarifies our objectives but also provides a roadmap for measuring progress along the way.

While setting goals is important, it’s equally essential to remain flexible and adaptable along the way. Life is full of unexpected turns, and our goals may need to evolve in response to changing circumstances.

Approaching goals intentionally and with as much detail as possible is like navigating a course on a map. Goals provide us the route and the more directions we provide, it ensures that every action we take is purposeful and well-aligned.

Here are some steps to move forward efficiently:

Be proactive: Set aside time to reflect on your aspirations and outline clear objectives.

Be specific: Break down your goals into actionable steps and define measurable outcomes; add as much detail as possible in your action steps, add revenue goals and deadlines or add results that can actually be measured.

Be flexible: While goals provide structure, allow room for adaptation and course correction along the way.

Be proud: Acknowledge and celebrate milestones, no matter how small, as they signify progress towards your larger vision.

Be vigilant: Regularly revisit your goals to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with your evolving priorities.

Conclusion

Goal setting is not about imposing unrealistic expectations or getting burdened by external pressures. Rather, it’s a deliberate exercise to define our path and grow in the journey in the most efficient way so that all the work we put into it, actually shows results and we can quantify, measure and actually validate the results.

Adding details is a simple, small, easy tweak to make in goal setting. Goals without specific measurable action steps rarely see good results because they lack clarity and cannot be assessed in a quantifiable way.

Let’s fill our creative journey with growth, discovery, and countless opportunities that move us close to our dreams just by adding specificity and clarity to everything we do.