4 Tips for Small Business Leaders to Achieve Long-Term Goals and Win the Week, Not the Year
Yearly goals are overrated.
But why is goal setting important?
It's the weekly priorities that count. Now, calm the inner bear — I'm not saying toss your annual, 3-year, or long-term goals out the window.
Your fixation on these distant points is possibly closing your eyes to the steps needed right now, this week, to get there. Progress is made right now. Not tomorrow or a week from now.
Small businesses are notorious for burning out.
They have long-term dreams but are constantly caught in short-term fires. These aren't always wildfires; they're more like the annoying kitchen grease fires that pop up when you're cooking bacon for Sunday brunch.
You can't ignore them, but wow, they divert your attention quickly and leave a lingering smell.
To make real progress on anything that matters, you have to condense your timeframe, and you can do that by adopting these four tips.
Tip 1: Be clear on your one main objective.
You might have an annual goal, but you should only have one significant objective to pursue.
In the article, Growth Without Goals, the author gives an excellent example of what this is:
"In the famous 1997 letter to shareholders, which lays out Amazon's philosophy, Bezos says that their process is simple: a 'relentless focus on customers.' This is not a goal to be strived for, worked towards, achieved, and then passed. This is a way of operating, constantly—every day, with every decision."
For my business, our core objective is "Making it ridiculously easy to do business with us." That's our North Star.
In a recent Huberman podcast, he reiterated this point by reminding his listeners that trying to achieve multiple goals simultaneously often leads to failure.
So, define ONE objective that is crucial for your team.
Tip 2: Break your annual goals into weekly wins.
If you're aiming for a ten-million-dollar revenue target, what does that mean for this week?
Calculate it. Own it. Break it down into quarterly, monthly, and weekly milestones. Prioritize your weekly goals based on their importance.
If everything is a priority and urgent, nothing is.
Get brutal about your prioritization. Ask yourself, "Will this help me make meaningful progress on X?"
No?
Delete, defer, or delegate it.
Tip 3: Focus on today, not tomorrow.
Your daily agenda should be a mini-version of your weekly plan.
Each day, set a 90 to 180-minute focus block where you give a weekly priority your undivided attention. Your weekly priorities are accomplished within a particular day, so schedule them as non-negotiable calendar events.
But remember:
The most effective results come from seeing your goals as a system you can turn on and off at will.
Always look for ways to turn your goals into a daily system.
Tip 4: Regularly review and adjust your weekly goals to stay on track.
Things change.
Be agile, not fragile. Adapt your tactics, but keep your eyes on the prize. Goals never follow linear paths. With some patience, flexibility, and weekly persistence, you'll achieve meaningful progress.
Time waits for no one.
You can't afford to lose a week to aimlessness. That is why goal setting is so important.
Quit majoring in minor things and focus on what matters most.
Start setting effective long-term goals and breaking them down into actionable weekly priorities. The year is long, but the weeks are short.
Use them to your advantage.
