From Goals to Action: How Entrepreneurs Can Crush Priorities Each Week

Alarm Clock

As an entrepreneur, achieving your goals requires a systematic approach to managing your time effectively. Look at your number one goal for the year, and then let’s create a way of hitting that goal. Your goal may be a certain revenue number, customers, or monthly users. Decide what metric you are tracking, and then let’s provide a basic framework to ensure you are scheduling the time needed to make the goal happen.

Here’s a practical strategy for scheduling your week and daily routines to make significant progress toward your top priorities:

Goal Breakdown:

Break down your long-term goals into smaller, actionable tasks. These tasks should be manageable units that contribute to your overall objective.

Weekly Planning:

Every week, dedicate some time to planning. On Monday, for example, list your top three to four priorities for the week. These priorities should align with your long-term goals and represent the most important tasks for that period.

Calendar Review:

Take a look at your calendar for the week. Identify any pre-existing commitments like meetings, family dinners, or social events. This step is crucial because it helps you allocate your available time wisely.

Task Allocation:

Once you have your priorities and commitments in mind, allocate specific tasks to each day of the week. Be realistic and avoid overloading any single day. This approach ensures you don’t get derailed by unexpected interruptions or unpredictability.

Task Variety:

Consider the nature of your goals and tasks. Some days may require deep work on a project, while others may involve content creation or social media scheduling. Tailor your daily schedule to match the specific needs of your current priorities.

Time Blocking:

Create time blocks for each activity. Time blocks are dedicated chunks of time to work on your tasks. Time blocking enhances focus and productivity by reducing distractions.

Adaptability:

Stay flexible within your time blocks. While sticking to your planned schedule as much as possible is essential, be prepared to adjust if urgent matters arise. The key is to ensure that your top priorities still receive attention.

Daily Reflection:

Reflect on your progress at the end of each day or the beginning of the next. Assess what you accomplished and what needs to carry over to the next day or week. This reflection helps you stay on track and make necessary adjustments.

Consistency:

Consistency is vital to success. Stick to your schedule and refine your time management skills as you go along. Over time, you’ll become more adept at prioritizing and accomplishing your goals efficiently.

Celebrate Milestones:

Remember to celebrate your achievements, no matter how small they may seem. Recognizing your progress can boost motivation and keep you committed to your entrepreneurial journey.

In summary, achieving your entrepreneurial goals involves meticulous planning, effective time allocation, and adaptability to life’s curveballs. By breaking down your goals, scheduling tasks, and maintaining consistency, you can make significant strides toward realizing your aspirations.

Progress

Progress requires the courage to take a step towards your goal. 

We tend to overthink our goals. Thinking we need a grand gesture. The go big or stay home mindset. 

But the journey starts with the first baby step. The very first step will enact the force of momentum. 

Momentum is a part of physics. According to Newton ;

“An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.”

Start the motion today. 

Take the first step today. Make the second step tomorrow. Slowly, keep moving forward. 

Each day moves forward in your journey. A journey you have the choice to direct or be directed by outside forces.

Choose and move forward.

The daily choice to take the next step is the only thing you need to make progress. 

It is all up to you.

Show Up

Show up

Do the thing you want to do.

Show up for yourself. You don’t have to do it for anyone but you. You may think you can put it off. And honestly, you could put it off, and no one but you would know.

You need to do it.

Show up.

Simple.

Simple, but not easy.

Mid-Year Review

Computer, notebook, flowers, coffee mug

When I worked for a company, we did a mid-year review and a final review each year. The mid-year was done with your boss to make sure you were on track to meet standards for the year. In essence, so there would be no surprises as your final review.

It was the final review where what you accomplished was compared to the goals set by myself and my boss at the beginning of the year. Was everything accomplished? Did you go above and beyond what was expected? Did you not meet standards in an area? If so, there were systems put in place to help you meet standards the following year. 

Because a review at mid-year was completed, the one at year-end wasn’t supposed to have surprises.  It often did. When I stopped working for a company, I was grateful to never have to go through this process again. And I am certain my boss was just as glad to never have to give me another review.

The thing with the review process is it keeps you on track.

Continue reading “Mid-Year Review”

I Failed 2020

Dead End sign

I have started my annual review, and I just have to say, I failed 2020. Yup, no bullshitting here, I just didn’t do very well this year, and if I am honest and needed to give myself a grade, I would be hard-pressed to say I earned anything other than an F.

I do not say this lightly or to be funny.

I simply did not rise to the challenges this year gave me. In fact, I crumbled under a few of them. I think this grade was fairly earned. Continue reading “I Failed 2020”

Hitting the Reset Button

Alarm Clock

I have had a hard time hitting the reset button. It is easy in so many ways to stop a downward spiral; you just need to stop and restart. Hit the reset button, so to speak.

Yet, December, or maybe most of 2020, has been a bit of a wash. I mean, the year started out well. There was a bit traction in my business. I met with artists, had positive responses to emails, had conferences scheduled, and then everything was canceled. Continue reading “Hitting the Reset Button”

Going After What I Want

Computer & Breathe coffee mug

It appears I stopped showing up. I stopped moving forward, and I just stopped going after what I want. And I don’t mean in a holiday craziness kind of way. I just haven’t even done the everyday things I had been doing.

I pulled out my weekly planner, where I write down my daily to-do list. It starts on a Monday and then goes through the week. When I looked at it, the last week I had used it was the week beginning November 30.

It had been almost four weeks since I had last used it! Four weeks! Continue reading “Going After What I Want”

Being a Beginner

Beginner Ski Hill - Beaver Creek

Being a beginner at something is interesting. You have no built-in belief you should be good at it you are just learning.  Most likely, you are willing to learn and take instruction. You may get a coach or take lessons.  You read articles, watch videos and listen to the experts on how to do this new thing.

Being a beginner brings a willingness to listen, to practice and to fail. Continue reading “Being a Beginner”

The Undone

The Undone List

My list of all of the undone stuff is overwhelming. And what is worse, most of the undone tasks don’t even make it to the to-do list anymore!

It’s strange how there always seems to be something I just don’t want to do. It may be something I perceive to be hard; it may be something unpleasant. But mostly, it is just stuff I am procrastinating doing. Continue reading “The Undone”

Doing the Hard Things – Walk Away From the Cupcake

Chocolate Cupcake

Doing the hard things are well, hard. Not that doing them is difficult; it could be simple to do, yet hard to do at the same time. Like this, explaining something in circles.

Doing the hard thing could be saying no to something you want to do but know you shouldn’t do. Like eating a cupcake is easy and choosing not to is hard. At least for me it is. But if I want to have the energy to get through my day and honestly, be able to button up my jeans, I need to do the hard thing and walk away from the cupcake. Continue reading “Doing the Hard Things – Walk Away From the Cupcake”