The Freedom Flywheel - Blog , Clarity

8 Steps to Getting What You Really Want in Business

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 16:01:40 +0000

The journey to getting what you want requires clear thinking, a strategy, a roadmap, and action. To kick-start your progress, here's my step-by-step approach for getting what you really want from your business.

Step 1: What do you WANT?

You can't go on a trip without a destination. Where do you want to go? What does a great business look like to you? Define your ideal outcome before you start thinking about how you’ll get there. I've seen it time and again - those who start with the “how” instead of the goal fall short of their true potential. Start in the possibilities and envision where you want to be. Picture your business, personal, and financial life in their ideal state. Now, answer these 2 key questions:

How much money are you making?
How much time off are you enjoying?

Step 2: Assess Your Current Reality

Now, let's ground those dreams in reality. Assess where you stand in your business, personal well-being, and finances. This step isn’t about throwing roadblocks at your vision – it's about understanding your starting point. This snapshot serves as your baseline, empowering you to make informed decisions and identify areas for improvement. It's a reality check that propels you toward success.

Step 3: Set Outcome-driven Goals

Goals shouldn't be just benchmarks – they should lead to the ultimate outcome you want. This is a big deal – goals without clear outcomes are much harder to implement and can kill your motivation over time. This isn't about simply achieving. It's about achieving what matters to

you. Goals are the milestones of your journey and they should be measurable.

Step 4: Create a Strategic Action Plan

Setting goals is only part of the equation. To turn your vision into reality, a well-thought-out action plan is essential. Reverse-engineer backwards from your goals to develop a detailed plan, breaking down the steps required to achieve each one. This plan becomes the blueprint for your journey, guiding you through the daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual "to-dos" necessary for success.

Step 5: Focus on Execution and Accountability

Executing your plan is where the magic happens. It's about taking action consistently, facing challenges head-on, and making progress every day. Cultivate habits and strategies that support your action plan - like 90-Day Sprints - ensuring you make progress daily. Change is often harder than you think it will be - it's easy to get distracted by the day-to-day. Make it easier by getting a trusted advisor to provide perspective and hold you accountable.

Step 6: Track Your Progress

“You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” - Peter Drucker

Choose KPIs that match your goals. Set up a progress dashboard and monitor it regularly. Knowing your numbers will give you objective feedback on your performance and help you make better decisions.

Step 7: Adapt and Revise

Change is inevitable. Think of your strategic plan as a living, breathing document that requires regular updating. Things beyond your control will happen, and you need to be prepared to adjust. It’s important to adapt not only to changes in the world, but also changes within yourself, revising your plan as needed. It's all about staying true to your vision while being flexible enough to seize new opportunities.

Step 8: Get Out of the Middle

You won't reach big goals if everything in your business needs to be done by you or go through you. Decentralize and delegate. Empower your team to work within their own areas of genius, creating a collaborative environment where everyone contributes to collective success.

You can reach bigger goals, make more money, and get your time back

Follow the steps above and you can do it faster than you ever imagined.

Shared Visions: Using the Wheel of Life Planning System to Strengthen Family Bonds and Goals

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:43:21 +0000

The closing of one year and preparation for the clean slate of a new year represent an opportunity to give your goals and purpose some serious thought. It’s a good time to re-evaluate what you’re doing – and why you’re doing it. For business owners, it's essential that we consider both our personal life and our business life (or what I like to call just “life”) in order to achieve sustained success and personal fulfillment. I’m a big fan of using the Wheel of Life Planning System at the start of every new year. (Click here to download a PDF version of the guide: Wheel of Life Planning System.) It’s good for you and your business. And, it's far more effective than those New Year's resolutions we tend to set and then forget! Better yet? It’s something you can do with your whole family. Here’s how.

What's a Wheel of Life?

The Wheel of Life is simply a strategic tool that divides your life into different categories, providing a comprehensive way to review your overall well-being. It’s a visual representation that includes categories like family, health, career, finance, personal development, and more. You can customize your wheel to include the categories that are most important to each individual. For example, your kids might replace "career" with "school." Each category is then assigned to a segment on the wheel, and you can rate your satisfaction in each area. The end product is a clear picture of where you are as you approach the end of the year and is a great jumping off point for thinking about how you might want to refocus your efforts in the new year. I like the Wheel of Life because it gives you a quick, comprehensive snapshot of your present overall well-being. And it’s easy to interpret because it’s so visual – you’ll know pretty quickly where you need to spend some time and attention.

Why include the whole family?

If a new year represents a clean slate for you and your business, it also means the same thing for your whole family. Including them in your Wheel of Life exercise not only makes the practice more applicable to your whole life, but it also sets the tone for your family by showing them that your goals as a family are just as important to you as your business goals. I do the Wheel of Life exercise every year, and I get my family to do it too, including my kids. Including your family in the Wheel of Life exercise emphasizes the importance of collective goals alongside individual aspirations. It's a powerful way to strengthen family bonds and instill healthy habits from a young age. Is there a little resistance sometimes? Sure. But once they do it, they realize that there is value in taking the time to re-evaluate and articulate what they prioritize. It can also have a long-term positive impact. My teenagers appreciate the value of the exercise even more now that they are older. What started as more of a game for them when they were younger, has now become a valuable practice they choose to continue. At the very least, and sometimes a good way to introduce the idea, share your wheel of life with your family. Just like you do as a leader at work, it is important to get the support and buy-in of your family if you want to achieve your goals. Otherwise, if you’re the only one committed to it, you can't expect your family to understand or support your choices.

How to use the Wheel of Life

Here’s how to get your whole family involved in a Wheel of Life exercise: Make the time Whether you have regular family meetings, include the discussion in a family vacation, or call a special family summit to complete your wheels, it’s important to plan – and protect – the time for everyone to focus on the activity. I went through this exercise for the first time with my family while renting a lake house in Florida – on a cold and rainy day, we worked on our wheels. Customize your wheel While the Wheel of Life includes standard categories that range from school and recreation to friendships and health, it isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Make sure each individual's wheel clearly reflects their priorities. If you want to really get into it, you can even do a wheel for the family as a collective and evaluate how you are doing now and what you want to focus on as a family/couple in the coming year. Score your categories Each person in your family should rate their level of satisfaction with each segment of their wheel, using a scale of 1 to 10. Identify gaps and areas of focus Discuss as a family the lower-scoring areas and the higher ones. What lessons can be learned from the areas of high satisfaction, and how can these be applied to improve the lower-scoring segments? Or are the lower scoring segments even the areas you want to focus in the coming year? Maybe you want to pivot to a different area of focus. Use this information to set personal and family goals. Recognizing these gaps is a candid acknowledgement of where your focus needs adjustment, allowing you to address the areas that truly matter. Develop an action plan Once you’ve chosen focus areas and set some goals, it’s time to develop a road map. How will you reach those goals? This can make for some interesting and often surprising family discussion. As a family and as individuals, what changes are you willing to embrace? This is about choosing progress over perfection. Do the thing! Don’t just make an action plan and then forget about it. Brainstorm together on how each member, and the family as a whole, can achieve these goals. Act on it. Check in with each other on a regular basis to find out how everyone’s making progress on their goals. The magic is in the movement. Establishing daily habits is how change becomes permanent.

The Wheel of Life is a powerful diagnostic tool that reveals not just where you are, but also where you have the potential to go.

And the Wheel of Life Planning System is not just a set of exercises; it's a catalyst for transformation. By aligning your business dynamics with personal values, you're not just setting goals – you're setting the stage for a year of unprecedented growth and fulfillment.

What’s Next? Navigating Business and Life with Purpose

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 19:23:44 +0000

As we approach the end of the year, it's natural to reflect on where we stand, both personally and professionally – and to look ahead and make plans for the future. Two things recently piqued my interest. First, while earning my CEPA certification, I learned that a startling number of business owners, after selling their companies to retire, find themselves unfulfilled and wish they hadn't made that choice. Second, I’ve had a few recent conversations with business owners who have retired over the last year or so – and I’ve found that the challenges they face aren’t really that different from those a lot of people face while they’re still working. The common thread is that it’s all about finding purpose. Articulating your purpose can be a powerful step toward making sure you’re truly living your values and can be helpful when you are:

in the thick of business leadership
thinking of selling your practice
adjusting to post-business-ownership life

Knowing your purpose can help you figure out "What's Next?" and avoid future regrets.

What is purpose?

Values and purpose, though related, are distinct concepts:

Values

Values are the principles, standards, or qualities considered inherently worthwhile or desirable. They guide our behavior, decisions, and actions. For example, honesty, integrity, compassion, and respect are common values. Values often reflect what is important to us in life and are typically consistent over time. They can be influenced by culture, family, personal experiences, and societal norms. Values serve as a compass for how we conduct ourselves and interact with others.

Purpose

Purpose refers to the overarching direction or aim of one’s life. It's often about contributing to something larger than oneself, such as making a difference in the lives of others, pursuing a passion, or achieving specific life goals. While values inform how we live and interact, purpose is more about why we live and what we aim to accomplish. Values can shape our purpose, but they are not the same thing. Purpose gives our values a direction and a way to be expressed in the world. It’s easy, as a business owner, for your sense of purpose to get tangled up with your professional role.

When you’re deeply immersed in your business, it's easy to equate your purpose with keeping the business afloat, being part of the action, and feeling needed.

But – once that chapter closes, it can leave a void if you’re not careful. This is why it’s essential to get clear about your purpose without tying it to your role as a business owner. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a lot of this to the forefront – people began re-evaluating how they define their purpose and questioning whether they really wanted their purpose so tied into their professional identities. We didn’t talk about that much pre-COVID, but now it’s more palatable for a lot of business owners to discuss. And even if you think it’s a bit “out there,” I’ve found that clearly focusing on your purpose can change the way you feel about your business, your personal life, and how you interact with the world. It’s worth any discomfort that comes with it. This kind of mindset has a direct tie to your business success, too.

If you really think about it, your business should exist to help you live out your purpose.

Articulating your purpose is tied closely to knowing what your values are, what you're excited about, and what you're good at. When you're in business for yourself, you have the power to create a business that aligns with all three - and what could be better than that? Imagine going to work each day in a business that is exciting, aligns with your values, and uses the skills that you are good at. Too often, we business owners lose sight of that dream when we get caught up in the day-to-day grind - constantly reacting to the things that are going on - instead of proactively creating what we want. So what do we do?

Make purpose exploration part of your yearly planning process

Participating in a purpose-driven exercise on an annual basis helps you retain focus on what really matters, rather than letting circumstances or other people define that for you. This process isn't about dramatic change for just for the sake of change; it's about deciding whether your current pursuits resonate with your true self. I make sure to go through a Wheel of Life exercise at the beginning of each year, and I invite my family to do it too. (Yes. I am the “fun” Mom!) It gives us an opportunity to reset and recommit to living out our values. Each year, we gain insights into our individual and collective aspirations, values, and areas that need attention. I invite you to do something similar for your business. Before you dive into creating your plans for next year, spend some time exploring your purpose. After all, the main reason for owning a business should be to fulfill your purpose. If your business isn't serving this fundamental motive, it may be time for a change – or even time to exit.

With your purpose in mind, consider what's next.

Do you aspire to grow your businesses, to grow personally, or to redefine how you spend your time? Use these questions as invitations to start a purpose-driven journey that has the power to reshape your life and business in profound ways.

How to Conduct a Year-End Review for Your Business

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:53:41 +0000

It’s the season of gratitude, and just as it’s important to take stock of what you should be grateful for in your personal life, it’s equally important to spend some time taking stock of your business strengths and accomplishments. A year-end review is a key opportunity to reflect on what’s going well within your business and to share that information – and your gratitude – with your team. Here’s how to use your year end review to define your wins and set the stage for further success in the new year.

What is a year-end review?

A year-end business review is exactly what it sounds like – it’s your chance to look back on how your business performed for the calendar year. Think of it like a high-level executive summary of your practice’s accomplishments. If you’re like most business owners, the day-to-day running of your business absorbs most of your time and energy, so a year-end review gives you a chance to reflect on and analyze your achievements. You can identify areas of strength and weakness so that you can start with a clean slate in the new year, along with a sense for where you can improve. It can also help inform the individual performance evaluations you complete with your team.

Why is a year-end review important?

By identifying what’s working well and what isn’t – a year-end review provides a sound basis for the decisions you make about your business operations moving forward. A year-end review can provide insight into everything from team dynamics, marketing campaigns, and process bottlenecks to customer satisfaction. Keep in mind, though, that a year-end review isn’t just about identifying areas for improvement. While that’s important, it’s also key to recognize your areas of strength and achievement. Knowing where you’re strong helps you to get stronger. It also presents an opportunity to express your gratitude to the team members whose hard work helped achieve your goals.

5 steps for an effective year-end review

Here’s how to conduct an effective year-end business review:

1. Schedule the time

This step might be the toughest. You have to be intentional about reserving enough time to thoughtfully evaluate your practice. Don’t try to fit this in between all your other responsibilities or cram it all into one afternoon at the end of December. Be thoughtful and intentional during the last quarter of the year about setting aside time to review your business operations. Respect the process and factor it into your schedule. An even better practice is to complete a mini-review at the end of each business quarter, which leaves you only the task of consolidating these individual reports to reflect the full calendar year.

2. Analyze performance against KPIs

Objectively and dispassionately evaluate your success against the metrics you set at the beginning of the year. It’s important not to sugarcoat anything here. If you didn’t reach a particular goal, dig into why. And just as importantly, where did your team crush it? How did they do it? How can you scale those strategies and behaviors? This is your chance to articulate which strategies are working to reach your goals – and which ones aren’t. Maybe you launched a new marketing campaign this year or focused more intently on recruitment efforts. The KPIs in your progress dashboard will tell you how those efforts are affecting your practice.

3. Evaluate financial performance

Take a look at your financial statements and assess everything from your cash flow and expenses to whether you stayed within your operating budget and whether it’s time to adjust the pricing for your products and/or services. Your year-end business review can also serve as an informal audit. You might find accounting or bookkeeping inaccuracies that you then have the opportunity to correct before it’s too late.

4. Identify opportunities

This is where the year-end review gets more fun. Based on what you know about the closing year’s performance, you can begin building your goals and strategies for the coming year. Depending on your performance, you might keep your KPIs the same, or you might adjust them to be more realistic or even to stretch your team.

5. Share your assessment and express your gratitude

You may have had support from your team in putting your year-end review together, but they also need to see the finished product and understand what it means for their areas of responsibility moving into the new year. Gather your team and walk through the year-end review with them, making sure to highlight areas where their respective efforts have supported your practice’s success. In addition, make sure to get their feedback on how KPIs should adjust for the following year – what is their perspective on the challenges and opportunities that will shape your practice’s success? A year-end review is a key opportunity to reflect on what’s going well within your business and to share that information – and your gratitude – with your team.

Escaping Owner Overload: A Journey from Accidental Entrepreneur to Business Freedom

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 17:17:20 +0000

I became an entrepreneur by accident. Perhaps your story is similar to mine? It all started when I fell in love with horses. So, I decided to become a veterinarian. About 5 years into practicing veterinary medicine, I felt the logical next step for me was to own the business. I believed that owning the business would not only give me better financial returns but also a greater say in making influential decisions. As a smart cookie, I knew we could do better. In my excitement, I somewhat naively jumped in with both feet. I forked over the equivalent to what many would spend on their first home – and quite honestly, I felt privileged to do so. Owning my own business! It felt like winning the lottery. And because I’m such an overachiever, I did all of this while navigating the challenges of new motherhood. Working 6 or 7 days a week and looking after my 1^st child. Initially, the challenges felt like a jigsaw puzzle – all about figuring out the logistics. However, as time progressed, I found myself buried under the pressure of constantly trying to do more and work harder. And that worked fine for a long period of time. Working harder led to making more money. I was a success! Then we had the economic downturn of '08 and I found myself wrestling with an industry that was shrinking and grappling with strict regulations. This had a big impact on how we operated our business and what services we could offer. It created a lot more work and I realized at that point that I really didn’t know a whole lot about what I was doing. This is something I see in my advisory business all the time.

Accidental entrepreneurs eventually get in over their heads.

The business starts to feel like it’s getting out of control. Your confidence may take a hit because what you’re doing isn’t working as well as it used to. Perhaps you have trouble sleeping because you’re worried about the business. All of those were true for me. The usual entrepreneurial reflex kicked in: work harder, do more. Yet, the more I pushed, the more it became apparent that sheer effort wasn't the key. It seemed like I was constantly putting out fires and I thought there had to be a better way. That’s when I decided to get my MBA. By this time, I had two kids and was in the process of getting divorced. And still working 6 or 7 days a week. This is what I learned:

Burnout is a real thing.

It was time for a different approach. With my newfound business acumen, I was able to lean out our business a bit and be a little more forward thinking about what we were doing. Yet, the real problem persisted. You see, even with all the knowledge, strategies, and enthusiasm, I hit a wall. I could envision fantastic ideas and even understand their potential impact on the business.

Yet, there was a missing piece: alignment and clarity. Most of our people were not on the same page. We didn't have any clarity over what our long-term game looked like. We didn’t know what we were really trying to accomplish. Not everyone who was an owner of the business even felt that it was important for us to have a long-term plan. I learned the hard way that no strategy would ever work if I was the sole believer in it. Many business owners fall into this trap. We dive deep into tactics, firefighting problems as they arise. We might even enjoy the handsome returns. Yet, we remain trapped in what I call Owner Overload. We work tirelessly, juggling all the tasks, many of which we shouldn't even be touching. The result? Zero time to relish our achievements. If there's one vital piece of advice I'd like to offer, it's this:

Before strategizing, seek clarity and alignment.

What do you really want out of your business? What's your ultimate goal? Your purpose? And if you have partners like I did? Do this work together. It’s vital that everyone gets on the same page. Without this clarity, you're just floating in a sea of tactics without a strategy.

Would you like some help breaking free?

I've been where you are. I've felt the overwhelm, the weight of expectations, and the sheer fatigue of trying to make it all work. Now, I dedicate my time to helping business owners like you break free. It's time to create a business that operates without your direct involvement, one that stands resilient amidst challenges, and one that has a clear exit plan. Take the first step towards freedom.

7 Signs You Need Clarity in Your Business (Not Just More Hard Work)

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 17:07:40 +0000

I remember a time in my practice running days when I believed that if I just DID enough that things would get better.

If I could make it through the next 10 days of living in my truck at the racetrack, things would be easier.
If I could push through for another year or two, the business would somehow magically get “better,” and I would have more free time.
If I could get on top of this mountain of work, I would regain control and tame the chaos.

Can you relate? Success requires hard work. There’s no doubt about that. Owners who get stuck in Owner Overload are excellent workers. They take action. They solve problems. They make things happen. But that doesn’t mean that working harder is the answer to every problem. What I needed back then was CLARITY. Of course, I didn’t KNOW that I needed clarity. I thought I just needed to work harder. Fortunately for me, a mentor showed me the light. Once I got clarity on my situation, I broke free from Owner Overload, reclaimed my life, helped build the business to multi-7-figures, and eventually sold it. Now it's my turn to turn on the lights! Working hard but not making progress? Here are 7 signs that what you really need is clarity.

1. Lack of Direction

Do you know where your business is headed? Do you know what you want? Do you have a 3-year vision? Do you have an exit plan? Without a clear direction, hard work can become scattered and ineffective. If you find yourself shifting priorities and spinning your wheels but without a sense of heading anywhere, it’s a sign that you lack clarity.

2. Feeling Overwhelmed or Burned Out

This often happens when you're juggling too many tasks or pursuing activities that don't align with your core business goals. Without clarity, you may find yourself doing a lot of work without making progress. This is a recipe for burnout.

3. Inconsistent Results

When you're clear about your goals and strategies, you're more likely to focus on the right activities that give you better outcomes. Without this clarity, you may be working hard on things that are a waste of time and energy. The worst part? Not being able to tell what’s working and what isn’t.

4. Confusion Among Team Members

Are your team members confused about their roles, responsibilities, or the overall direction of the business? Do you find it hard to delegate? Lack of clarity can lead to miscommunication, micromanaging, and a decrease in overall productivity.

5. Indecisiveness and Analysis Paralysis

If you find yourself constantly hesitating or unable to make important decisions, you may not have the clarity you need to make good choices. Without a clear vision and understanding of your business goals, decision-making becomes challenging and can hinder progress.

6. Financial Instability

Another area where businesses suffer from a lack of clarity is in their financial management. Is your business experiencing financial challenges, such as inconsistent cash flow or declining profits? These could be a sign that you need more clarity in your financial goals, budgeting, and forecasting. Financial clarity is essential for sustainable business growth and building business value.

7. Lack of Motivation and Inspiration

Hard work alone cannot sustain enthusiasm if you don't have a clear vision and purpose driving your efforts. If you're experiencing a loss of motivation and inspiration, the underlying culprit may be an absence of clarity of purpose.

Ditch the Doing: How One Hour of Thinking Can Transform Your Business

Wed, 10 May 2023 01:26:08 +0000

Ready to break free from the cycle of doing, doing, doing and unlock your potential for success? It all starts with a vision - a powerful idea for what’s possible. As a busy business owner, it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations and forget about what truly matters - you. But, with just one hour of intentional thinking each week, you can make a profound impact on your business and personal life. I know this from firsthand experience. When my mentor made me schedule an hour each week just to THINK, it was a game changer for me. As soon as I scheduled time to think about what was possible, the whole world opened up. The key to doing visioning right is to begin with YOU. Ask yourself:

“What do you want?”

If you’re anything like I was, this will be challenging because you’re accustomed to thinking about what the business needs. What does the business need to grow? What do the employees need? What do your clients or patients need? When you first start thinking about what YOU need and want, it can feel a bit selfish. The thing is – getting aligned with what you need and want IS what the business needs. The business needs an owner that is excited about what is possible and committed to doing the heavy lifting to get there. When you get in touch with what you really want, your business becomes exciting again. It’s more interesting and more fun. Here’s an exercise for you to try.

Schedule an hour with yourself to think about where you’d ideally like to be in three years.

Three years is the perfect time frame for visioning. It’s enough time to allow for the work of getting there – so it feels more possible. Yet it’s near enough to be exciting. Think about what’s important to you, what your goals are, and what’s missing right now. Then visualize how it would look and feel to be living your IDEAL life. Imagine that I bump into you at the airport or grocery store 3 years from today. I ask you how you are doing and what you’re up to. You start your answer with “Everything’s amazing!” – then you fill in the details. What are they? Don’t overthink and don’t censor yourself – allow what you really want to emerge.

State what you want in the present tense and let your brain do the hard work of making it happen

When you state your vision in the present tense, you turn on your brain’s Reticular Activating System. This is the part of your brain that looks for ways to fill the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. It’s like when you decide you’re going to buy a specific make and model of car - for example, a red Tesla SUV. All of a sudden, you start seeing red Tesla SUVs everywhere. Because your brain is looking for them. Do the same with your vision. Paint a clear picture of your day-to-day life, with all the details that matter to you. These might include spending time with friends and family, taking care of yourself, going on vacations, feeling engaged, excited, and productive at work. Don’t worry about the logistics of “how” when you’re visualizing – just focus on the result you want. Once you’re clear about what you want, you can ask:

What has to happen in my business for all that to happen for me?

Now that you have a clear vision, it's time to align your business with your personal goals. Once again, don't worry about the "how" - just focus on the "what." What has to happen in your business for you to achieve your personal vision? These might sound like:

The business grows by 20%
I have a plan for my exit strategy
I have a competent and capable team that can look after things when I’m away
I only do the work I enjoy, everything else has become someone else’s responsibility
I take weekends off
My clients are happy

When you are clear about what you want personally and what needs to happen with your business to attain that, you have an aligned vision. Once you nail that, everything else becomes so much easier. All that's left is to figure out the steps and take action.

A better way to set goals. Forget SMART. Do this instead.

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 22:00:07 +0000

Where did you go on your last vacation? Did anything get in the way of you getting on the plane or to the cruise ship or in the car to leave? We all know that travel is a lot more challenging these days, and yet you pulled it off! I am willing to bet that trip was SO IN ALIGNMENT with what you wanted to achieve that you were going to make it happen no matter what. Want to create goals that PULL you towards them? That don’t feel like you have to push a big boulder uphill to make them happen?

The secret is to VET your goals before you SET your goals

In my old line of work, we used to “vet” horses before our clients would buy them. We had a framework of examinations we would perform to see if the horse was appropriate for the intended purpose. You can and should vet your goals in a similar way. Vetting your personal and business goals ensures that you create objectives that ignite your passion and inspire you to move towards your desired future. There are 3 steps to the goal vetting process:

1. Values: does this align with your purpose?

Happiness expert Tal Ben-Shahar suggests we focus on setting only self-concordant goals - these are goals that we want to pursue out of deep personal conviction and have a strong interest in. That is why the first consideration in the goal vetting process is determining your values. Values are what drive our behaviors and set the direction of our life and business. (Or at least they should!) Values give us a reason and purpose. They are not a one-time event or something you will cross off a list. Clarifying your values means you identify what matters most to you. If you haven’t already established a set of core values for your business, do this first. Your values will provide a compass for all the decisions you make for your business.

2. Energy: do you feel passionate about it?

When you are considering a goal, you want to be sure you are passionate about it. Your goals should bring you energy, not drain it. If just thinking about your goal drains the life blood out of you, pick a new one! Working toward a goal may be hard, but it should be energizing! This one is an easy one to evaluate. If you don’t get a feeling of HELL YES when you think about it, then it probably should be a no for now or you might need to bring others in to help you execute it. Include your team if you’re setting a business goal. If you are super stoked but your team thinks the goal is overwhelming and exhausting, even if it is in alignment with your values, you may need to reevaluate or redesign your goal to assure buy in. You don’t want to be pushing a boulder uphill by yourself, right?

3. Talent: do you have the necessary skills or strengths?

Do you have the necessary skills or strengths – or can you acquire them along the way? If your goal is to acquire new talents, make sure you have the underlying strengths needed to do that. Again, if you are considering a business goal, you want to make sure that you have members of your team with the right talents, in the right positions to accomplish the mission.

The Zone of Alignment lies in the intersection of all 3. Avoid this mistake…

Despite what the great philosopher Meatloaf said: 2 out of 3 IS bad. The biggest mistake people make with this process is to set goals that are in alignment with two of the three pieces. If even one of them is out of alignment it WON’T FEEL GOOD and it will be hard to stay motivated over time. If you want greater success and fulfillment, use this lens as a filter for any new goals you consider before you set them. While it may take time to stop and reflect on the alignment of your actions, the goal vetting process will help you take your business to the next level – without burning yourself out in the process.