Ever set a New Year’s resolution?
Did you stick with it? No?
Well, you’re not alone.
Most people don’t…but what if you could learn to set better goals?
And what if good goal-setting methods could apply not only to your lifestyle but to your business?
That’s right – dare to ask the question!
What if – as a spray foam contractor or petroleum business owner – you could harness the power of goal-setting to grow your business?
How?
Well, it all starts with recognizing you’re a human being. Neither you nor your business is a robot!
Effective goals are reached by taking small steps over a long period of time – not by weighing yourself down with unreasonable expectations that will lead to burnout.
Do you have ideas about how you want your business to look? We bet you do!
What about a step-by-step plan for getting from where you are now to where you want to be?
Effective goal setting for your spray foam or oil and gas business involves taking a good look at where your business is right now, visualizing where you want it to be, and setting small, approachable goals with attainable timelines that you can work toward regularly.
Basically, to set effective goals for your business, you gotta think things through…and then follow through!
The only way to build a better future is to grab the bull by the horns and do something that reaches toward your goal TODAY!
Are you ready?? Awesome!
Let’s talk about how to set practical goals for your spray foam or oil and gas business!
Examine Your Business As It Is Now
We can do a HECK of a lot with the lives we live, man!
You’ve got all the potential in the world!
Think of someone who inspires you. Guess what – they are human, too!
That’s great news, right?
You can do anything you set your mind to.
But make no mistake.
All those historical figures and change-makers that we look up to? They work really hard to do what they do as well as they do it.
Sure, talent plays a part in our lives and our achievements.
We all have natural tendencies in life…but talent isn’t everything.
If you don’t actually make use of your talents – and work to develop them – you’re unlikely to find success with them!
The point here? Your life is defined by what you choose to do with it – how you choose to live.
You aren’t a mountain climber if you never climb a mountain.
You’ll only gain fluency in a new language if you work on speaking it.
You’re only a “spray foam contractor” if you spray foam.
The good news? Everyone who achieves their goals has to start somewhere.
So meet yourself exactly where you are.
Looking to grow your business? You CAN!
To do that, though, you need a good handle on where you are.
So, take a good look at how things are now, and figure out what you want to improve!
Don’t fall into the trap of judging yourself, though.
Instead, take heart! You are already doing what most don’t: you’re daring to see where life could take you!
Wherever you are in your business is okay. Accept it for what it is, and use that knowledge to your advantage!
After all, there’s nowhere else to start than where you currently are, man.
The important thing is that you’re honest with yourself, so you can build on what you’ve already achieved.
Ready to do that? Good!
Now that you’ve figured out where you are, it’s time to visualize getting to where you want to be.
Visualize Where You Want To Be In Your Business (or Your Life!)
Life unfolds quickly. We blink, and five years have gone by.
That’s why we have to seize the day!
If you don’t work toward your goal today, when are you going to?
You’ve examined your business, and understand where things stand at the moment.
The next step in setting effective goals is visualizing where you want your business (or your life!) to be.
What does “success” look like for you and your business?
Be specific.
Really flesh out what the future looks, feels – even tastes – like.
Does it feel exciting to wake up each morning?
What does a typical work day look like?
How often does the future you get to see family and friends?
Does future you have employees to help run your business? Have they gotten really good at time management?
What are your future stress levels like?
Visualize how you want your business – and your life – to look.
Really picture what it will be like when you have accomplished your goals, and how that will improve your life and your community.
We cannot stress enough how vital visualization is to reaching your goals!
Every change starts with an idea.
If you can picture yourself and your business where you want to be, you can bring that dream into reality.
To help you do that successfully, you need a plan!
Ready to make one? Awesome!
Let’s talk about setting S.M.A.R.T. goals!
Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals for your Spray Foam or Oil and Gas Business
Goal-setting is not a new idea.
Psychologists and neuroscientists have studied goals and effective goal-setting for many years.
There are countless research papers, videos, and books that examine how to best set and reach your goals.
At Freedom Consulting, our favorite way to effectively reach our goals is by setting “S.M.A.R.T.” goals.
This method helps you to hone in on the steps you need to take to reach that future you visualized.
“S.M.A.R.T.” stands for the following:
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Relevant
T – Time-bound
Let’s take a quick look at what each of these guidelines means.
Be Specific with Your Goals
One of the biggest goal-setting mistakes we can make is being too vague.
What does that mean?
Well, a vague goal would be “I want to lose weight.”
A specific goal would be “I want to lose 3 pounds by the end of the month.”
When you’re setting goals for your business, get as specific as possible!
Instead of saying, “I want my business to succeed so I can quit my day job,” say, “I want to make ____ dollars every year (that’s ____ dollars every month) so I can quit my day job.”
Specific goals help you break down how to reach them, and take baby steps every day to get to where you want to be!
Choose Measurable Parameters
If you can’t see progress toward your goal, it’s more likely to get scrapped in the day-to-day hustle of life.
Measurable goal parameters are motivating!
An immeasurable goal would be “I want to eat better.”
Measurable is “I want to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.”
See the difference?
So, when you’re setting goals for your business, instead of saying “I want to get more clients,” say “I want to reach out to 3 people per day and talk about how my business can help them.”
Writing goals that are specific and measurable are not helpful if they are not reasonable.
Aim for the Achievable, Raising the Bar As You Go
Be honest with yourself during the goal-setting process.
Can you achieve the goal you’re setting for yourself?
We’re not talking about your big end goal, here. We’re talking about the first milestone you’re setting for yourself on the way to becoming the future you!
Based on where you are now, is your first milestone reasonable?
An unreasonable goal is “I want to lose 25 pounds by the end of the month.” That sort of goal can create unhealthy habits and is almost guaranteed to end in failure, anyway.
An achievable – and much healthier – goal would be “I want to lose 4 pounds by the end of the month – one pound a week.” Such a goal will allow for you to make changes slowly and consistently and adjust as necessary.
When setting goals for your business, be honest.
How much work can you accomplish within your business hours? (Haven’t set business hours? Here’s how!)
You’ve got a bold, courageous future ahead of you. You can still see it, can’t you?
Good!
Set yourself up for success! Create reasonable, achievable goals that you are more likely to stick to, and set the bar higher with each milestone you reach.
One step at a time, grasshopper!
Ensure Your Goals are Relevant
We’ve been using fitness goals as examples because they are popular and easy to understand.
But it is also likely that fitness goals are not relevant to your business growth.
Make sure that the milestones you are setting for yourself are relevant to the end goal you visualized for your future.
If your goals are relevant, you’ll be more likely to make them a priority!
Set An End Date
We often set goals for ourselves that are viewed as “lifestyle changes” and are meant to go on forever…but how many of those changes do we really stick to after the shiny newness has worn off?
If your goals are not time-bound, you’re less likely to take any steps toward your goal!
Have an end date in mind for your S.M.A.R.T. goal? Is it reasonable or achievable?
Setting reasonable timing for your goals can be tricky. Things come up that we don’t think about.
But if you don’t succeed within the time frame you originally set for yourself, simply set a new goal!
Maybe you make it smaller than the last one, or allow yourself longer to accomplish the same goal.
The point is to consistently work toward the milestones you set for yourself, celebrate your successes, and adjust as necessary, so you can reach that future you dreamed of.
Delays happen, and that’s okay.
Dust yourself off and get back on the horse!
Build Momentum with Small, Consistent Steps Toward Your S.M.A.R.T. Goals
S.M.A.R.T. goals help us to focus and move in the direction of our dreams.
You’ll be surprised how far you can get when you take small steps consistently!
Classic “Tortoise and the Hare” moment, ya know?
Physically writing down your goals has been proven to make a difference, too – so why not?
When you set achievable goals for yourself, and work toward them every day (or every work day), you start to build momentum.
And the faster you’re able to get the ball rolling, the easier it is to keep it moving. (That’s just physics!)
Our goals are there to keep us motivated, not to discourage us!
If you’re feeling discouraged, adjust your goals.
There’s no shame in meeting yourself where you’re at, man!
That’s the only way to live.
Give yourself the space for growth, and you’ll get there!
You can do anything you believe you can do.
Go get ‘em!!!
Conclusion
At Freedom Consulting, we are here to help you achieve your dreams.
Meeting yourself where you’re at, visualizing where you want to be, and using S.M.A.R.T. goals as milestones will help you realize your dreams for your business AND your life!
To learn more about how we can help you in your spray foam or petroleum business, check out our Services Page!
Have questions about goal-setting?
We look forward to speaking with you – and we can’t wait to see where your dreams take you!!
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