Setting goals is an essential step to success whether it be in your business or personal life.  Well-defined, achievable goals provide direction, create motivation and serve as benchmarks for measuring progress.

Here is a practical look at how to set realistic and attainable goals that can help you create balance between your business and your personal life!

Pro Tip!  As you are reading this, don’t get overwhelmed!  Remember it is equally as important to set attainable goals through all aspects of your life.  This creates balance and confidence that you are doing all the right things to create a sustainable lifestyle you love!

They lied!

I remember when I was a child, “Always be honest with your banker, your lawyer and your priest!” .  Supposedly if you could do that then all your basis was covered and life would be smooth sailing!  As an adult, I find that far from realistic!  I’d rather live by, “Always be honest with yourself, God and your significant other!”.  Then it seems life will flow more smoothly! 

Why do I even mention this when we are chatting about how to set attainable goals?  Mainly because accountability and goal setting go hand in hand!  Yes, you can set goals without being accountable and you can also be accountable without setting goals.  But true sustainable success comes when you learn to do both at the same time.

Let’s start by having a clear vision of where you want to be in the future.  What does your ideal life look like?  How would you spend your days?  What do you want to look forward to each day when you wake up in 5 years, even 10 years?  What habits do you see yourself having?

Let’s have an honest reality check.  Where are you now?  What does your everyday look like?  How are you spending your time? What do you most look forward to each day when your feet hit the floor? What habits do you currently have?

Now we can draw a line (preferably not a circle, lol) between today and 10 years from now.  Along that line you need to create steps (or goals) to get you to where you want to be. You have to start with exactly where you are today and love and respect yourself enough to be honest every step of the way.

Your success relies heavily on 3 main areas:  Setting Goals, Changing Habits and Evaluating &  Adjusting  When you write down your goals, use 3 columns.  One for each of the above.

Let’s get into it, shall we?!  The first column is Goals.

Every goal you set should be a SMART goal:

Specific: Define the goal clearly. What exactly do you want to achieve?

Measurable: Determine how you will measure success. What metrics or indicators will you use?

Achievable: Ensure the goal is realistic. Do you have the resources and capabilities to achieve it?

Relevant: Align the goal with your business’s vision and mission. Does it make sense for your business?

Time-bound: Set a deadline for achieving the goal. When do you want to accomplish this?

The second column is Habits.  For each goal you need to also write a habit that you currently have that is holding you back from that goal or a habit you need to create to reach that goal.  For instance, if my first goal is to create an idea for a business I want to build or an area I want to work within (niche); my habit I need to break may be to quit thinking like an employee OR to create time each day to explore what I am passionate about and see if it is a viable option for a business.

Every goal you set will have a time frame on it.  As you achieve your goals and a space in your day opens up, it will be filled by the next goal or group of goals.

The third column is Evaluating & Adjusting.  This is your time frame column.  Put your date that you need to have accomplished this goal (or time if you are setting daily goals).  When that day or time comes, write the outcome of your evaluation here. For instance, a check mark and you move on to the next goal OR a redirect that might look like this, “After researching this area of interest I found it is not a viable option.  I will redirect to______ (another area of interest to research).