5 Steps to Refocus Your Goals
Aug 07, 2023
[Listen to the Podcast version here]
Are you on track to meet your 2023 goals?
Did reading that question make you feel excited or sick to your stomach?
I’m a little queasy, myself.
This has been a rough year for me and my business.
If you’ve kept up with me, you know I caught a nasty case of COVID at the end of 2022. I tried to be superwoman and just ignore how awful I felt once the worst of it had passed, but that didn’t work for long.
It took me six months to fully recover.
--> Six months of struggling to sleep, eat healthy, do my workouts.
--> Six months of the worst brain fog and fatigue I’ve ever felt.
--> Six months of hoping that it would stop, and I’d be able to get back to enjoying life and building my business.
Thankfully, it did.
But a lot was put on hold in the process.
So, I’m sitting here writing this in August, reviewing my goals for the rest of the year.
As I said earlier, my stomach is a little queasy.
But I’m also thankful and looking forward to finishing Q3 in recovery mode and building in Q4.
I’m still here and I’m not giving up!
You shouldn’t either!
Whatever your reasons, if you’re off track on your goals, now is the time to dig in, regroup, and find a way through.
Here are 5 steps to get yourself back on track:
Step 1: Assess Your Goals
Are the goals you set at the beginning of the year still reasonable for where you are right now?
This one is hard for me as a recovering overachiever perfectionist.
Admitting that I “can’t” do something goes against the grain for me, but it’s not really a case of whether I can do it or not. There are so many circumstances that affect our ability to achieve our goals, and many of them have nothing to do with how hard we work.
Set your pride and negative self-talk aside.
Look at the data and decide what adjustments, if any, need to be made.
Step 2: Fully Commit to Your Goal
It doesn’t matter what your original goal was before you got off track. What matters now is the new goal you’ve set for yourself.
Commit to it 100%.
If you start thinking about the “shoulds” or “what ifs”, it’s game over.
Step 3: Decide on Your Action Plan
What needs to happen to achieve your goal?
Review your original action plan and revise it as needed.
- What is your new time frame?
- What are your new milestones?
- What resources do you need?
- What will you do to keep yourself focused?
Break down your milestones into monthly and weekly targets.
Step 4: Do the things!
Schedule the time on your calendar (or your team’s) to get out there and get it done!
Review your goals daily – just 5 minutes in the morning to get your mind ready for the day will make a huge difference in your follow through.
Gather feedback from your team and your data as you go and adjust as needed to refine your processes and increase your efficiency.
Step 5: Don’t forget to prep for next year!
We’re quickly approaching Q4 and that means it’s time to plan for next year.
Now is a great time to go back and read my two articles on annual planning:
Planning for a Successful 2023 Part 1
Planning for a Successful 2023 Part 2
Need help getting ready for next year?
Annual planning is only one part of the puzzle!
If you’re behind on your bookkeeping, tax payments, and/or filing your taxes, these need to be addressed as well!
The longer you wait, the more painful it will be.
Penalties and fees stack up quickly with the IRS.
Harrington Strategic Partners can help you get ready for tax season, even if you’re years behind!
We offer a wide range of services to streamline your accounting and let you focus on what you do best - manage and grow your business!
Popular services:
- Catch Up Bookkeeping
- Monthly Bookkeeping
- Budgeting & Forecasting
- Cash Flow Management
- Strategic Planning
- Process Development
- Owner Coaching
- Team Training
If accounting is not your cup of tea and you’re interested in how your company could benefit from working with an accounting firm, I’d love to chat! You can access my calendar here.