We are approaching the end of January and I have heard a lot of people kind of sh*tting on themselves for not being as far along as they hoped or not having their goals actually planned out yet. It may be the case that you were playing catch up the first few weeks of January or easing into the new year and that is totally okay! In fact, I think it’s really normal. While I would love to say each new year comes with a clean slate, that’s not the case. Maybe you found yourself finishing up client projects, or doing some accounting, or just getting through the never-ending inbox after a holiday break. These are things you should be proud of! They represent all the work you put in the previous year. 

But if you have been feeling a little less than enthused with how your new year has been going or just need a little reset for your work, this is for you. 

I want to make sure that before we start resetting and hyping ourselves up for this year that we let go of any guilt we may be feeling. Either from not being where we thought we would be or for taking a break or for whatever. Repeat after me “It is never too late to reach the goals I want to achieve. I let go of any guilt, shame, or fear that is holding me back.” P.S. if you ever feel this way just repeat this statement each morning. 

Okay, now that we’ve got that covered we can move on to some of the fun stuff. 

Have you already reflected on last year? If not check out my post with 10 Journaling Prompts to help you get clear on what went well and what needs to change. After you have a clear idea of where you want to improve from last year, have some fun brainstorming brand new goals you want to reach. These could be revenue-driven or project-focused. Maybe your big goal is to hit six figures this year or maybe it’s to work with a dream client or to create an ebook. Whatever it is, write it down. 

How to plan out and achieve big goals:

After you have figured out those big goals, work on what small steps you need to take to get there and break it down by month and by small daily tasks. If your goal is revenue-based, then make a spreadsheet with each month’s goal revenue, keeping in mind seasonality and working off of past results. If you know that November is your biggest month of sales then plan for that this year too. What I am really saying is don’t just take that revenue number and divide it evenly by twelve. Be thoughtful. 

I also think it’s important to mention here that if you want to increase revenue or work with dream clients, you need to be realistic about how to get there. That may mean hiring an expert or investing more money into marketing or taking on less work to make more room for other upcoming projects or attending a virtual conference to learn more and connect with people. It’s not only about doing your day-to-day projects. It’s about growing and that doesn’t happen overnight or accidentally. 

I like to have my small daily tasks written out on post-it notes and lined up on my desk. This way if I am ever sitting around saying I have nothing to do, I can look up and make sure those daily tasks are done. 

The next thing I do is I write down a promise to myself, a promise to work towards this goal no matter what. Sometimes I get specific in this promise, promising to put myself first and that means saying no to other things or breaking bad habits (hello endless scroll). Write this promise down and put it on your nightstand or on your vision board. 

Last but not least, write down all the ways you will celebrate when you reach this goal (not if). My lists in the past have included ordering my favorite bath bombs, opening a bottle of champagne, taking a week off, etc. 

Now that you have a clear direction with your next steps, it’s time to get started. I recommend starting right now, not next Monday or on February 1st, but today. Just take one small step towards your goal.