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27: The secret to successful goal setting · Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to the Digit Lee She Does It Show.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode 27, and in today's episode, I'm going to be talking about the secret to goal setting and what you actually need to do to be successful.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: So let's jump right in and get started.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Digital H does it show.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host Karen and I'm here to lift the lid on what it actually takes to create a successful business.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: If you are an ambitious creative ready to build a business on your own terms and without compromise, then this podcast is perfect for you.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: With my award-winning approach to marketing and expert knowledge in creating online courses, this show will leave you feeling inspired, energized, and ready to bring those big dreams to life.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Join me each week for a dose of motivation and marketing know-how, along with actionable step-by-step strategies to help you accelerate your business's growth.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: So let's dive in and don't forget to subscribe to all my upcoming episodes, which drop every Wednesday.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate you hitting the play button to listen to today's episode.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: Now, can you believe we are in December?
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: How crazy is that?
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: I have absolutely no idea where this year is gone because it's just flown by.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: So once again, we find ourselves in the silly month of the year.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's what I call it anyway.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: The one month where everything feels different.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: So instead of planning what networking event to go to, we're more thinking about what Christmas party to attend.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: Now I think we probably get to this time of year, and most people are most likely in need of a break, and I know I am.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's been a very busy year, and so the chance to kick back, switch off, and enjoy time with the family is so appealing.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: Now, what I especially love about this month is that most people are in the same boat, so it's not like the summer holidays where you take a week or so off work, but then you come back to a mountain of emails.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: What I really enjoy is the fact that during the Christmas period everything seems to stop, including those pesky emails that just continue to pop into the inbox.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: So in today's episode, I'm going to be sharing the secret to successful goal setting.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: Because, and let's face it, setting goals can be easy, but it's making them happen, which can be the difficult part.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: And so I wanted to use this episode to break it down and share with you the one thing that I think really makes a difference to achieving your goals, and because we're in the month of the year where we're starting to think about the year ahead, I thought it would be the perfect time to do this.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so I know that as creative entrepreneurs we should all know exactly what our goals are and what we want to create for ourselves.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, I think this is great in theory, but the truth is that if you are someone who has a family, perhaps you're looking after small children or even big children, maybe you're trying to maintain a home, and you are you have the difficulty of running a business, then life has a habit of getting in the way, and it can be very derailing.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: So even if you have goals, you may be finding that it's difficult to achieve them because of all those challenges.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I completely understand.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: I myself I have a small family and trying to maintain a home and do all of those things and spin so many plates, and it can be really tricky to focus in on getting things done, which is why I love New Year.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I am guilty of being one of those that looks forward to it every year because I feel like it's the perfect time to take stock and reflect on the year gone by.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Now we're always in default in a default mode of being busy.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: We don't always take that time to sit down and really think about where we've been, what we've done, and where we're moving to.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: I think most of the time we are probably in this mode of reactivity where we're just responding and reacting to what is going on around us.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now, every year I seem to have the very same conversation with my husband about goals for the year ahead.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now he doesn't set goals, he's not somebody that really thinks much about goals.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's not really his thing, it's never been his thing.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: He would kind of make a reference about what he'd like to get done over the next year, but he'd never really commit to anything solid.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Whereas for me, I'm all over it.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: I love a goal.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: I think even before I started my business, I always had an idea of what it is I wanted to achieve, and so for me, goals have always been an important part of that to help me get to really where I want to get to.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think my goal setting journey really started back many moons ago when I was working in London.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: So at the start of the year, I would list all the creative courses that I planned to take during that year, which really helped me to focus in on my priorities.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Now, sometimes things would happen and it would throw me off course, but because I had a really clear idea about what my goals were at the start of the year, I knew exactly what I needed to do and where my energy and my focus needed to go.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: Now I think setting goals becomes so much easier when you have an idea of what they're for.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: So, for example, when I was 22, my husband now, who was my boyfriend at the time, we went travelling.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: We took the summer off and we went travelling around Italy and Greece for a few months.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Now, at that time, I'd been working in an ad agency in London where I was working in the international pitch team.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: I'd recently been promoted, and this new job was actually really quite exciting because it was creating pitches to win international business for the agency, and my job was creating those documents that would help them to get that business.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now it was something that I'd never done before, but I found that I absolutely loved it.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: Now the hours were really tough.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: There were times where we were working into the early hours of the morning because the work had to get done, and it was really important stuff because it was about growing their business, so there was a real focus on making sure we secured these um this international work.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: But when we weren't busy, we were able to kick back and make use of the in-house bar because it was very media-led and it was very work hard, play hard.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so that ethos really came through the business.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: Now I think that's when I realised what graphic design was, it was sort of my first introduction to it.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: Up until then, I I hadn't really come about um came into contact with it, you see, because my my background had always been fine art, so I was always really good at painting and drawing and doing all of that, but I didn't really know or understand what graphic design was.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't until I was in this position that a light bulb went off, and I actually realized that I had a natural creative flair, you know, as a graphic designer, and I loved taking quite dull information and enhancing it in a creative way.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, after a while, we decided to take some time out and go traveling.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: We'd been working since we were 17, and we both felt like we needed to have an adventure, be young, and create memories, which was just such an amazing time.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think looking back, the one thing it did for me on a much, much deeper level was that it helped me to connect to my vision, which then became my focus over the next eight years.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: I think taking time out to reflect is so incredibly powerful because it gives you time to really dig into what's important.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: You know, from 17 to 22, we were just working, we were we were developing a property, we were focusing in on our careers, and we were just busy all of the time, and I didn't really feel as though I had time to really take stock and think about where my life was going and what it was I wanted to achieve for myself.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I don't think that we probably take time to reflect enough.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: I think life gets very busy and we forget to press pause and just take that moment to reflect.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: So, anyway, after the summer when we went traveling, for me we came back, and and for me, everything changed because it made me realize what it was that I wanted to create for myself, and I realized that I was on the wrong path and I needed to steer myself in the right direction, which for me was becoming a graphic designer, and at that time of my life that was a big deal.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: So I created a vision of what I wanted, and then I set about looking at ways that were going to support me to achieve my goals.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: Now I discovered when I did my research that there were so many courses that I could take in the evening after work that would help me to develop my skills and build a portfolio, which was perfect because that needed to be my starting block.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I had my vision, I had established a way forward, and now it was about breaking it into steps that I needed to take to get to where I needed to be at the end of the year.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now, once I did this, I just focused in on the very first step and off I went.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: I knew what I wanted wasn't going to happen overnight, but I figured that if I just kept putting one step in front of the other, it would slowly move me in the direction that I needed to go.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: Now, yes, it was tough because it meant that I had to be really focused and I had to at times make compromise, and there was a lot of work involved, especially because over that period my career took off, it became demanding, but I just had to keep my eye on the prize because what I wanted was so much bigger than what I had.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: Now, overall, it took me eight years to achieve my goal, but actually, that time period really didn't matter in the end.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: I think looking back, having that clarity about what I wanted, and then figuring out the steps to get it were equally as important as achieving the outcome.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: The great thing was that every time that I would get to a place of being unsure about what the next step was, a chance conversation or something somehow presented itself.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: It was almost like the universe was gently guiding me forward and pushing me towards the finish line because everything that I needed to happen along that journey happened, and I just had to have faith.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: Now I cannot tell you how amazing it felt when I was at my graduation ceremony collecting my degree, knowing that I had my perfect job waiting for me, because I'd already secured it before I graduated.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't need to do an end-of-year show, not like all the other students, because I had secured my perfect job.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: So everything that I wanted had been delivered with a big fat bow.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the reason why I want to share this with you today is because in business there seems to be this arbitrary message about goal setting.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: We must set goals, we must know where we're going, but unless it means something of real substance, it doesn't mean anything.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: Goals can just end up being those extra tasks on our to-do lists.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think the way that we make these goals matter is by digging deep into the bigger picture and connecting to that vision of what we want and how we want our lives to be.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_00: Now that is so incredibly powerful, and when I look back over that period of time, I can see how things moved to support me.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: When one door closed, another door opened.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: I never anticipated going and getting my degree, it was never on the radar at the start of that journey.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: I don't come from a family that has degrees or runs businesses or does anything like this, and for things to happen as they did came about, I believe, because I lent into the emotional feelings of what that would mean to me and who I would become as a person, and I think that's what made a difference.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: And for me, it proved that what we want we can have, but the challenge is knowing what we want first.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: What do we want?
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: And secondly, what does it mean to us to have that?
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: Because everything else is logistics.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I believe that our businesses are the vehicle that can take us anywhere that we want to go, but first we must know where that end destination is, and it has to start with knowing our vision.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: Now, once you know what your big scary vision is, and you know why you want it, then you can start mapping out your goals on how you're going to achieve it.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I'm not saying that goal setting on a broader level isn't effective because it is and it can be.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: But if you are looking to truly shake things up and achieve things for yourself and make significant changes in your business that's going to support your life on a much deeper level, then just writing down objectives is not enough.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna share with you some questions that I'd really like you to think about.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: Now feel free to write these down, but do take your time to answer because you need to dig deep to get these answers, and hopefully, this will start to build a clearer picture of exactly what you want.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: So let me start by asking you what is it that you really want?
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: If I could wave a magic wand and create the perfect life for you, what does that look like?
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_00: Now write it down and try and be as descriptive as possible.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: You may want to close your eyes and build a picture in your mind's eye.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: How will it make you feel once you've got there?
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: And why is this important?
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: How is it going to benefit you and your family?
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: And why have you decided to run a business?
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: Is what you are doing at the moment moving you towards where you want to be?
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: If not, why not?
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_00: And if it is, what can you do next to move you forward?
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: What I really want you to do is connect to that bigger vision to get really clear on why you're doing what you're doing and what that vision is that you have for yourself.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_00: Because the clearer we can be about our vision, the easier it's going to be to identify those goals that you're going to need to achieve to bring your vision to life, and that's what it's all about.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_00: I think so many people set goals without really connecting to that one thing that makes a difference, and it's because it's hard, it requires us to dig that much deeper and connect to something that is so bigger than us.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: But the truth is that once you do that and once you identify what that vision looks like, everything else becomes so much easier, everything else falls into place because you know what you're working towards, and you know why it's important and why you're doing what you're doing to achieve it, and sometimes we can get a bit lost as to the things that we're doing.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_00: We don't know if we're on track, we don't know if what we're doing is leading us to where we want to go.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: Because unless you know where that end destination is, how do you know?
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_00: So, by really getting clear, really digging deep and connecting to what that vision looks like, you can start being selective about the work that you do and the goals that you create for yourself.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: And if something comes along that is aligned to your vision that is going to help you move there, then you know to say yes to it.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_00: But equally, if something comes along that takes you away from the direction in which you want to go in, then you know as well not to move forward with it, so it become it makes decision making that so much easier.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_00: Last week I was hosting a strategy workshop with a client where we were talking about yearly goals, and it's actually what has inspired this episode because throughout the workshop, my client was able to really dig in and connect to her vision.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now, by doing this, it made goal setting so much easier.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_00: The goals we then identified made complete sense, and because of that, she now knows what she needs to focus on to achieve each goal, and every time she achieves a goal, it's going to move her towards the vision that she has for herself.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_00: Now, not only does this give her clarity, but it also means that she can relax, safe in the knowledge that what she wants is going to be hers for the taking.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: She knows that the path that she needs to take and the steps that are going to appear along that way are going to move her towards the things that she wants.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_00: She just needs to lean into the belief that she's going to get it.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: So, what this means is that not only does it raise her confidence and her excitement because she knows she's going to be on her way, but it also increases her energy vibration, which is then sent out into the universe, and that is what helps things to come her way.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: So, this thing is incredibly powerful.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: Connecting to your vision and getting laser clear on what that looks like will help you to set those realistic goals, which is going to move you forward, not only in your business, but in your life as well, because everything feeds off that greater vision because that's the destination.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are currently in planning mode for next year and you are thinking about how you're going to move forward, either in your business or in your life, then I encourage you to start at the beginning and get really clear on your vision and why it's important.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to dig deep and lean into those feelings that are associated with what you want and embrace the power of doing this because this simple exercise will be what fuels everything else going forward, and it shouldn't be underestimated because it's incredibly powerful.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: And then when you sit down to start mapping out your goals, you will know exactly what they are, why you're doing them, and why they need to happen, which will focus your energy and effort where it matters the most, because you will have the clarity that you need to move forward in the right direction.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to today's episode.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you found this episode of value, and of course, please feel free to share it with others who you may think will also benefit from listening to today's episode.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_00: If you are feeling inspired and would like to know more about getting started with creating an online digital course, then why not download my free ebook, 10 Steps to Digital Course Success, by visiting my website www.carinhyphendavies.com.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_00: I will be back next week with another episode, but until then, have a great week.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to check out the show notes for all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: New episodes drop every week on a Wednesday, so why not rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode?
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for tuning in today, and I will see you next time.