set your goals and then get to work

It's 2023 now, just in case that passed you by.

Or you somehow missed all the content on goal setting that seems to haunt me like the ads that remind me I was looking at birdfeeders around the holidays.

To help you cut through the noise, let's go back to the basics.

Any goal you set for your company should include the following elements:

1. what to hit

What target are you trying to hit? Numbers are helpful but not required.

2. what success looks like

This makes it expressly clear if you did or did not achieve your goal. Numbers make it obvious, but you don't have to have a number. Use plain language that allows you to objectively say "yes, we did" or "no, we didn't."

3. how you plan to hit the goal

You won't achieve anything if you don't take action. And action happens more easily when you have a plan. Think about what levers you might pull as well as what steps you need to take.

4. how you monitor progress

Remember how we talked about knowing what success looks like? Well, you need to regularly monitor your progress so you know if you're on track.

Bonus: Think about monitoring progress and assessing what's working and what isn't. What you've learned should inform adjustments to your plan.

5. how it aligns

How does this goal align with your purpose? How does it help you to achieve your outcomes?

Knowing the point of why you're working toward something is not only more motivating but also guides your decision-making related to that goal — and can help you eliminate goals that waste your time.

These are the basics. You can also use a framework.

If you like SMARTA goals, cool. OKR your jam? Delicious. Want to use our roadmap instead? Well, personally, I'm going to say that's even better, but ultimately, it's up to you.

You need the basics. Then you need to get to work.

Subscribe to get a weekly brief on how to run a purpose-driven business. Delivered to your inbox every Monday morning.

5 goal setting basics

set your goals and then get to work