Set Your Business Goal

Summary

The presenter recommends setting two ambitious, meaningful 12-month goals rather than spreading effort across many smaller goals. At least one should be a specific financial goal for the business, since revenue is tangible and measurable. The second can be personal or another business goal. Pursuing an important goal can also influence other areas of life and work.

Goal-Setting Framework: SMART

• Specific: Define an exact outcome, such as a revenue amount, rather than simply “make more money.”
• Measurable: Decide how you will track progress and know when you’ve completed the goal.
• Achievable: Be bold while considering the capabilities, resources, and commitment required. Falling short of a stretch goal can still lead to learning and progress.
• Relevant: Choose goals that matter to your values, vision, and ambitions.
• Time-bound: Set a deadline. The presenter suggests 12-month goals, which can begin at any point in the year.

Consider these questions: What result do you want, and by when? Why does it matter? How will you know you’ve achieved it? What capabilities are missing? Are you willing to commit to the work?

Break Goals into Manageable Stages

Translate each 12-month goal into six-month, 90-day, 30-day, weekly, and daily goals. This makes an ambitious outcome easier to act on and turns it into a practical plan.

For example, a $100,000 annual revenue goal could be broken down linearly into $50,000 by six months, $25,000 by 90 days, and about $8,333 in 30 days. A linear breakdown may not suit a new business, however. Quarterly targets can increase over time as skills, capacity, and business momentum develop.

When a task feels overwhelming, keep breaking it down until the first step feels doable—even if that step is simply opening a document.

Mindset and Execution

• Acknowledge fears and doubts rather than treating them as proof that a goal is impossible. Reflect on who you need to become and what must change to make the goal achievable.
• Focus on the journey, including its challenges and setbacks, rather than expecting motivation to remain constant.
• Build a personal “driving force” by writing at least 50 reasons each goal is a must. Reasons can include positive outcomes from achieving the goal and negative consequences of not achieving it.
• Keep goals visible with a vision board, and share them selectively with supportive people to increase accountability.
• Set weekly priorities and daily tasks that support your larger goals. Review your plan at least daily, use a calendar where helpful, and reduce distractions.
• Evaluate progress each week by asking: What worked? What didn’t? What will I change next week?
• Ask for support rather than staying stuck.

Capacity and Pace: Bike, Car, and Plane

The presenter compares three ways of reaching a goal:

• Bike: Slower, with fewer costs or trade-offs.
• Car: A more balanced pace, with some additional cost.
• Plane: Faster, but more costly.

Choose a pace that fits your available time, finances, and personal circumstances. Faster growth can require trade-offs, such as working longer hours or saying no to other activities.

The presenter also recommends considering delegation, automation, simplification, templates, and removing unnecessary tasks. However, business growth still takes time and effort.

Example Business Action Plan

For a hypothetical target of four clients at $2,500 each—$10,000 in sales, assuming all clients pay in full—the presenter suggests balancing setup work with revenue-generating activities. An illustrative plan includes:

• Publish educational and storytelling content five times per week, with a call to action.
• Post in five Facebook groups per day, repurpose content, and engage with people who respond.
• Go live in a Facebook community once per week and make an offer.
• Have conversations with 30 people per day to explore how to help them.
• Create and promote a free resource daily to generate conversations.
• Contact three podcast hosts per week about collaborations.

These are examples, not a universal prescription.

Metrics, Targets, and Examples

• Goal horizon: Two 12-month goals, broken into six-month, 90-day, and 30-day milestones.
• Illustrative revenue target: $100,000 in 12 months, or approximately $8,333 in a 30-day period under a linear breakdown.
• Illustrative sales math: Four clients × $2,500 = $10,000, assuming full payment.
• Activity targets in the sample plan: Five content posts weekly, five group posts daily, one live session weekly, 30 daily conversations, daily free-resource promotion, and three podcast pitches weekly.

The presenter says that after writing 100 reasons per goal—200 total—she reached her first $10,000 month the following month. This is her personal anecdote, not a guaranteed outcome.

Presenter/source: Sofia Rose Bernardi.