Every year when January rolls around, people all around the world are setting goals and resolutions. I do it too- both in my personal life and within my photography business. As small-business owners setting goals is critical to the growth of our businesses. But, it goes so much further than just setting those goals and writing them down in your new planner.

In my experience, these four steps have not only helped me to really figure out what my goals are but achieve them too.

1 – Visualize your goals

If you’re part of our free Coaching Collective Facebook community, I went over this in-depth during a LIVE. I truly think this is one of the most important parts of not only setting your goals but achieving them, too. This vision is what will keep you going on the hard days. It’s what will keep you accountable for the actions it’s going to take to get you there.

2 – Tell yourself “I am going to _____”

Say what it is you want to achieve. Want to open a studio? SAY IT- I AM going to open a studio! Tell yourself when you wake up, when you’re sitting at the stoplight, when you’re going to bed at night…as often as you think about it. Turn the doubt and wishing into affirmations that YOU WILL DO IT!

I know it sounds a little ‘woo woo,’ but affirmations are SO important when it comes to achieving your goals, especially if they feel unattainable. You need to believe in yourself and tell yourself daily what it is you have set out to do.

3 – Map Out the Goal

What do you need to attain the goal that you have visualized? Is it attainable in your current business and if not, how do you adjust? I’d encourage you to break it down into little, simple steps. 

I once read a quote that said success is simply a series of completed to-do lists. I really think that’s it, and I can say that because I think to myself that is exactly what I have done in my business over and over again. The problem is that most people either…

1. Get so overwhelmed by all of the things that they need to do that when they try to start breaking it down they feel defeated and quit.
2. Make a to-do list but don’t prioritize in the order in which they need to complete it to reach their goals.
3. Are able to make the list and check some off but then are not able to continue to the next checklist. 

It’s not just about checking off boxes- it’s checking them off and putting that aside to make another list. Check all of those boxes until you achieve your goal. Incremental planning, over and over. Most people can’t build like that. It’s why you see a lot of entrepreneurs get to a place where they are stuck. 

4 – Accountability

If you find yourself stuck, then perhaps a mentor, coach, or some sort of accountability may be what you need. And TRUST ME when I say, there is NOTHING wrong with that. I have personally experienced the greatest success with achieving some of my goals when I was part of a mastermind. Structure, guidance, and having your peers cheer you on, combined with the goals you have envisioned is a recipe for tremendous success. 

Not only have I experienced it personally, but I’ve had the honor of having a front seat to watching my students in Leveraging to Luxury achieve their goals and then surpass them. Many of them have told me that there is so much content they didn’t even know they needed (ie. those simple steps). However, they thrived and were able to put those steps into action because of the accountability week to week to check off those boxes.

At the end of the day, remember that your goals are your goals- only you can make sure you achieve them. The dreams that you have for your family for 2022 or for years from now are possible. The question is, are you ready to put in the work?