Have you experienced a feeling of resistance in planning for the year ahead? If so, you're not alone. In fact, if you listen to my podcast "Marketing for Startups," you may have noticed that it took me 3 weeks to post the final episode of my three-part series about goal setting for 2021. I am definitely encountering this resistance myself.
I, like many, have excuses. Ours had been that my husband tested positive for COVID-19 a week before the Christmas break. Luckily he was asymptomatic but our house was turned upside down with 2 kids out of school and daycare. I felt overwhelmed playing nurse and attending to disappointing calls with relatives (yes, we spend the holiday without family). But that isn't the reason I relinquished my podcasting duties. The fact is I was experiencing a deep resistance to planning my life and business goals for 2021 because of fear.
I have heard from so many ambitious founders in the community who are feeling exhausted by the thought of creating a plan when so much remains uncertain. There is a sense of excitement and hesitation looking towards the future. But I felt determined to break through and use my anxious energy to become more focused than ever before. Here are 3 things that helped me push through resistance and plan for an awesome 2021.
How to push through resistance to plan your 2021 goals:
Choose a method to follow. This is the season where everyone starts talking about goal setting. I got caught in the trap of procrasta-searching (procrastination disguised as research). I convinced myself that the method I had used for years needed some fine-tuning. I wasted a lot of time and energy. In the end, the best goal setting plan is the one you follow through on. It doesn't matter how you do it. It matters that it gets done. If you're interested in what I do, listen to episodes #18, #19, & #20 to learn about my goal-setting system if you feel stuck.
Just do it. If you're feeling some resistance don't wait for the resistance to magically disappear. Sometimes we need to just push through and get it done. That is what I did. I was whining on the inside the entire time, but I am so grateful that I did and you will too.
Fall in love with the results. Humans find comfort in structure and certainty. You will feel so much better once your action plan is in place. You won't feel as if you're wasting time. You will gain a strong sense of focus and clarity. When thoughts are down on paper and organized into action steps an overwhelming sense of peace can flow into your life. It's incredible. Fall in love with that feeling to push you through.
Bonus tip: Repetition is extremely helpful. Once your goals are set, you have this incredible opportunity to refresh and refine them as you think deeper about the problems you are solving the things you are trying to achieve. Sharing, re-writing, and revising your goals is an excellent way to help them become more precise and impactful. Ask yourself: "How can I make my goals more measurable?" and "Are there more efficient or creative ways to execute my goals?" Going through this practice will help you think outside the box.
Lastly, make sure you give yourself a simple way to track your goals. In Ep. #20, I explain the importance of having SMART goals which you should be monitoring the key metrics. Hold yourself accountable or find a mastermind partner who can help keep you on course.
You can't improve what you don't measure. In the next episode, I share all about how to implement a monthly data report review session for your business goals and key marketing metrics. Taking the time to intentionally evaluate your data is the #1 way to grow and improve anything in your life-- professionally and personally.
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Are you still feeling stuck planning for 2021? Hi! 👋 I'm Victoria. Founder and CEO of Ugli Ventures. I help entrepreneurs grow their businesses by creating rock-solid marketing plans for them. You can join me on Tuesday, January 26th @ 10 am for a LIVE planning session. I'll be answering all your marketing and goal setting questions and helping you refine your plan to amplify your business success in the upcoming year. Hope you'll join me! RSVP here