24 Apr The hidden value of setting goals
The business coaching world is full of people encouraging you to set goals. We treat these goals like milestones leading to our final glorious destination of ultimate success.
The fact is that most goals that we set, both big and small, don’t get realized the way we imagine they will. We don’t know what it will take to accomplish them until we actually start doing them.
When I say “goals,” I don’t mean “stuff I was going to work on anyway.” For goals to have the potential for real impact, you’ll have some resistance to them or they’ll make your stomach clench. You may even doubt that you can accomplish them at all. It could be talking to a client about raising your rates, launching a new program, making sales calls, or even creating and posting a video.
While it’s true that having goals will give you direction and create specific results, I say that the real value in setting goals doesn’t actually come from accomplishing them.
The real value of setting goals lies in your attempt to get them done. Your growth as a business owner happens when you take action because that’s when you encounter the “hidden barriers” – your fears and doubts – that slow you down.
By putting in the attempt to do it, you develop yourself as the person who can do it. Once those fears and doubts arise, you’ll have the opportunity to challenge and reframe them through the action of completing the goal.
As you go through the process, notice your experience. What are you learning? Where are you getting braver? What historical beliefs about your capabilities are you changing?
Part of my role as a business coach is to help clients leverage these experiences as much as possible. Feel free to leave a comment about your more elusive goals and what holds you back from accomplishing them. I’d love to support you!
It can be hard to figure out which challenges will yield the most growth for you as a business owner. I’ve created a quiz that can help you revitalize your mindset by providing insights into your unique strengths and areas for growth as the “CEO” of your business! It’s a fun way to reflect on your skills and discover opportunities for development. Click here to take the quiz and unlock your CEO potential today!
