Just about every business success book I have ever read claims that you need to set high goals. “Make your goals ambitious,” one book advises. “Always be reaching for the stars!” says another.
As a freelance copywriter, for example, one of your goals might be to make a six-figure income, or land a prestigious F-500 corporate client, or double your creative output without sacrificing quality.
But wait a minute. Do you really need goals? Must you always be pushing hard towards a specific target, like an Olympian going for the Gold?
What if you just kept doing what you’re doing now? Would the momentum you’ve already created in your business naturally take you to where you want to go — without the need to strive for some Herculean objective?
Here is an interesting exercise that will help you find out.
Make two lists.
One List #1, write down where you will be in five years if you just kept doing what you’re doing now. For example, as a freelance professional, you might expect your income to gradually increase as you gain more experience, become more business savvy, do higher quality creative work and attract better clients.
On List #2, write down where you WANT to be in five years. How much money do you want to be making? How many hours per week do you want to be working? What kinds of clients do you want to have?
Now take a cold hard look at both lists.
Let’s say List #1 indicates that in five years you’ll probably be earning $75,000 per year creating marketing collateral for the travel industry. And List #2 says the same thing – that you WANT to that income and those clients and projects. If that’s the case then you really don’t need any big business goals to help you along. You’ll get there anyway.
But what if List #1 shows that you won’t be doing so well? What if you compare the two lists and realize that you’re going to have to hit some significant milestones to get where you want to be? If that’s the case, then you’re going to need to make some significant course corrections, changes and improvements.
In other words, you’re going to need to set some goals.
Goals aren’t easy. They take a lot of work. You can expect to put in many extra hours, deal with setbacks, struggle with motivation — the works. It comes with the territory.
But if this is the price of getting to where you really want to be with your business — your List #2 — then, trust me, it’s well worth the effort.
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Steve Slaunwhite coaches freelance professionals in attracting great paying clients. He is also the publisher fo the popular e-newsletter www.ForCopywritersOnly.com.
