By Lindsay Tigar
This article first appeared on SWAAY.
If you take a moment to look through those old dusty journals you kept as a child, teenager and college student, or simply scroll through long-forgotten iPhone notes, you’ll probably both recognize and be surprised by your musings. As a probably type-A personality who has always had many dreams, goals and ideas, you’ve likely set many resolutions for yourself, regardless of December 31 was knocking on your door or not. While having an idea of where you’d like to go and what type of career or company you’d like to lead is an important factor in success, many experts argue that starting small, shorter goals can actually be more impactful over time. And well, set you up for more accomplishments than a larger, overreaching resolution that could be hard to meet.
“Entrepreneurs are visionaries, first and foremost. We have a vision for how the world should be, and through our businesses we are creating that change. We are so inspired by our big vision, tough, that it can become overwhelming,” life and success coach Alionka Polanco says. “Small goals are important when you’re an entrepreneur because they keep you moving forward every single day to achieve your big vision!”
If you’re having trouble crunching those numbers and mentally prepping 12 tiny goals – whew! – don’t worry, we did the blueprinting for you. Here’s what to focus on, by the month:
January: Create a Vision Board
Even if you’re not artistic, a vision board can be easy to create with the help of magazines or printing off some influential images or words. As an entrepreneur, you likely find it pretty simple to dream, not only about what you hope for but what you know you can accomplish, if you put the right amount of gusto and grit behind it. That’s why Polanco says creating a vision board can help take those lofty ideas floating in your mind and give them grounding by being on paper and up where you can see them. “How do you want the year to go? This month is a great month to envision how you want to feel and what you want to see by January 1, 2018,” Polanco says. “ This way, you can reverse engineer that vision to set your goals.” Regardless if you choose construction paper or a bulletin board, make your collage as big or small as you like, just make sure it’s somewhere you can catch a glimpse each day.
February: Identify the person you’re helping.
You know all of the major components of running a business: your employees, your budget, your investors, your strategy… and of course, your customer. While February is often considered the month of romance and love, Polanco says it can also be about a different type of attraction in the business world. “Once you’re clear on who your favorite customer is, you can start attracting them by going where they go, speaking their language and winning with them,” she explains. So grab a box of chocolates, buy yourself a bouquet of flowers for your desk and figure out who you want to help, sell to, assist and attract. Without customers, after all, what would your company be?
March: Be fearless and get out there.
There’s a reason so many songs, literature and vacation plans start to feel more lively and positive in the springtime. It’s a season of change, and not just in terms of flowers and warmer temperatures – but because it seals off the first quarter of the year, giving a clearer perspective of what you can expect, predict and prepare for. That’s why Polanco says this is the time to be fearless and pitch your heart away without doubting yourself. “Spring is a time of immense growth both personally and professionally, so it’s a great time to start selling your products or services with gusto,” she explains. After all, the work you do this month could help make your numbers, your profits or your goals for the rest of the calendar year.
April: Nurture your audience.
While you likely have a firm grasp on the people who have already signed up for your service or have expressed interest in working with you, what about all those emails and all that info you have from people that haven’t been persuaded yet? As the second quarter begins, Polanco suggests taking time to nurture your prospective audience and engage with them in a meaningful year. “To keep your prospect line full, you’ll want to take care of your audience who hasn’t bought from you yet,” she explains. “This could mean hosting a free webinar, doing a blog series, or even getting on the phone with them for 15 minutes to learn what they’re most struggling with at the moment.”
May: Network.
When you look at your iCalendar and it’s bursting with deadlines, meetings, conferences, client desksides and well, dry cleaning slips and credit card bills to pay – you might roll your eyes at the very mention of an ‘after work happy hour for young entrepreneurs.’ As difficult as is it can be to prioritize networking with everything else you’re company is demanding, it’s often through these experiences that much success, impactful collaboration and partnerships are created. “Like the African proverb says, “’If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ Team up with other lady bosses and make magic,” Polanco says.
