Sometimes we over-whelm ourselves by setting unrealistic goals. For example, saying “I want 1,000 subscribers in one week” is a tad bit unrealistic. So is expecting 50 – 100 comments on your next post when you’ve only written a total of (3) three posts on your brand new site. Or expecting the leads to pour in just because you have a new blog that you started a month ago.
Getting people there is half the battle, keeping their attention and being compelling enough to convince them to contact you over anyone else is the other half.
What happens when we set these unrealistic goals/expectations for ourselves is that we get nowhere. Instead of focusing on and being proud of our first comment, we focus instead on the fact that we’re miles away from our goal(s) and it feels like we’re getting nowhere. Ever feel that way?
Getting Un-stuck:
You need to focus on building momentum. This happens through little victories. By setting better goals. Ones that you can measure and achieve. Build some momentum and then keep going. Instead of trying to hit 1,000 subscribers in one week, try 10 or 20 – 50 in one month. Work on building an audience and then, reward your audience by acknowledging them for participating. Make it about them, not about you. Once you’ve earned their attention and you have them engaging with you on your site, if you’re still not getting leads, focus on building better Calls To Action.
Success doesn’t happen over-night. Results don’t pour in over-night. What you need to do in order to keep focused and build some momentum to drive yourself forward, is set smaller more achievable goals, and revel in those little victories. Accept that it’s going to take time and keep moving forward.
How do you do it? How do you break down your goals and objectives?
PHOTO CREDIT: NomadicLass
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I took a page out of Alice in Wonderland and call it “6 impossible things every day.” I reword it as “I am possible” vs impossible and focus on just those 6 things vs a whole task list. Like you said, smaller goals are possible if you don't overwhelm yourself and you feel accomplished vs burdened. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
That's what the Ritz-Carlton does with their set of Customer Service Values:
https://www.ricardobueno.com/customer-service-values
Rather than being a set of rules/guidelines, it's a set of affirmations that goes into every employee handbook.
I like how you've set this for yourself Suki. It's a great way to frame your mindset and a good way to push yourself to execute on the activities that inch you towards your goals. Task lists are impossible (most of the time). But knowing that you're accomplishing things little by little, day-in and day-out that move you towards your goals leaves you feeling good and positive about the progress you are making.
Thanks for the comment!
Great post Ricardo. It is about the little victories. Add them all up and you have the sum of a great and fulfilled life.
One of my favorite quotes is:
“I believe you can train yourself to become a positive thinker, but you must cultivate a desire to develop the skill of setting personal worthy and realistic goals. I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the technique of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When you learn to master the principle of setting a goal, you will then be able to make a great difference in the results you attain in this life.” M. Russell Ballard
Kyle: Great quote and I agree with it 100%. Goals and the things we do on a daily basis to get there are what bring a sense of accomplishment (I know that's the case for me). The more I do or accomplish in a day (however small), the better I feel. And it's a mighty good feeling to know that you're living life to the fullest each and every day.
Awesome post. It is about the little victories…. and they feel damn good!
It's also about seeing results and watching as you climb towards your goal… that always makes me feel good.
Yes they do!!
Re: “It's also about seeing results and watching as you climb towards your goal…”
I totally agree. I think that's why it's important to break bigger goals down into smaller bits. This way, we can see our progress rather than dwell on the impression that we're making no progress towards that one bigger goal. Make sense? It feels damn good when you know that you're making progress even if it is only bit by bit.
Thanks for the visit and for the comment Jenny! You got me all pumped up for some reason 🙂
Right on! woOt! 🙂
Ricardo, this is one of the areas in my work life (and personal life, too) that I have a hard time with. Breaking things down and sticking to working on the small things. I tend to forget that they add up to a lot over time.
Drip, drip, drip.
John: I think this is an area we all battle with! I'm reminded of a Willy Wonka quote: “So much time. So little to do. Wait a minute. Scratch that. Reverse it. Thank you.” I think if there's was more time in the day, it'd be easier to get through things (at least that's how I feel sometimes). We all get over-whelmed. But it's nice to remember, that we make progress little by little. No need to stress over the little stuff because at the end of the day, it's all little stuff 🙂