What do you want out of the rest of the year? (Step 1: The What)

We’re close to halfway through the year. This means it’s a good time to check in on your business goals for the year, so that you can make good on them.

Everyone’s beginning-of-the year, goal-setting rituals vary. From person to person, and from year to year.

Perhaps:
A word for the year (mine this year was “visibility”).
A post-it list of 1-3 goals, kept prominently in view.
A painted picture of where you want to be at year’s end.

Whatever you tried (or not) in January, grant yourself five minutes on this early-summer June day to “lean out into the future.”

Close your eyes. It’s now December, and your business is playing like a movie before your eyes.

What do you see? What do you hear?
What are you working on day-to-day?
What’s the buzz?

 And what was your big win of the year? (Yeah, the one that’s worth a high five, hooray, or a yes I did it.)

Was it…
::That larger stage you wanted to present on? Did you make it happen? And did that talk or workshop land you new clients?
::Those last four slots for your [personal chef] services? Are they filled? 
::Or what about that offer you created and launched—the one that’s unique in your crowded marketplace? How was it received?
::Did you surprise yourself with your creativity? How so, and what happened for you and your business because of this?
::Did you make that partnership happen? What are the results?

Name it.

If you’re willing, take 3 more minutes and ask yourself how you benefited from the progress you’ve made on your business.

More time with family, because you were able to reduce hours, or raise your rates?
More time for travel or your own creative projects?
New friendships formed with colleagues and clients?
Newfound confidence?

Choose the benefit that sings to you, and write it down.

Now come back to the present.

Next week we’ll take Step 2, and consider how we can measure this vision and make it even more vivid.

The following week, we’ll look at how to shorten and streamline the path from here to there, by organizing it around a single concept (and one I’ve been using of late with clients.)

Stay tuned.

*For the idea of “leaning out into the future" and key prompts (along with a great example of a painted picture), check out Cameron Herold’s book, Double Double.