 How Do You AUDITION Goals?
Full credit for the concept to Jon Acuff! He's a man on a mission about goals! He's written numerous books on the topic. I've mentioned him before on this blog here, here, and here. Jon has a new 30-day program beginning February 1, 2026 if you're reading this before it starts. (I receive no affiliate bonuses or anything for shouting out his resources. He's just an awesome resource that may interest you.) Try Out 1-3 Goal Ideas - Audition Them! That's all - test out your goal ideas for 30 days to see if they're solid enough and whether you can commit to them. This can be done anytime in the year. Here we are after Quitters Day and talking about starting goals for the year! Choose ONLY 1-3. More than that increases your chance of giving up as "too much" or burning out. You likely already have some habits or goals to maintain. Control the overwhelm. Dream, Plan, Do, Review These are Jon's basic steps to goal setting with my take on them.
Back to Basics What will you be doing next year with your goal achieved? Attach a reward to it!
What Goals Will You Audition? I'd love to hear what you're working on! I'd also be honored to be your accountability buddy as we cheer for each other! Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn!
0 Comments
 Word of the Year as a Goal
How did the Word of the Year trend start? Turns out this is credited to English professor Allan Metcalf in 1990, then Executive Secretary of the American Dialect Society, eager to capture the spirit of the year with language, inspired by Time magazine's Person of the Year. Merriam-Webster began its lists in 2003 and the College English Dictionary in 2013. Over time, it evolved into a self-improvement goal concept. The Bright Balloon shares an extensive article about the concept. #oneword became a trend beginning in the 2010s. The Power of One Word It's not a bad idea. Goals are hard to come up with let alone to stick with. Quitter's Day is now a recognized thing - 2nd Friday of January. For the concept of New Year's Resolutions beginning 4,000 years ago, Strava conducted research in 2019 leading them to predict the 2nd Friday of January as when goal motivation begins to seriously drop. More recent research indicates about 2/3 abandon resolutions in the first month. Maybe a single word is easier to sustain than one or more goals!
Intention I'll admit, I do struggle with the rigidity of goals, numbers, and specificity. I resonate more with the flexibility of an overarching word covering many aspects for my year. Intention feels right for me this year.
Your Word of the Year If you do Word of the Year, what's your word? I'd love to cheer for you to stick with it! While Intention may not be your word this year, as a small nonprofit, solopreneur, or nonfiction author, do you approach your business with Intention? How do you hold yourself accountable and stay on track? Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn!  Where Do I Begin?
For solopreneurs and authors—if you're going to create a business for yourself—there are a few key legal steps to put into place to start. Needs for nonprofits are a bit more involved but certainly critical before jumping into your mission of service. These suggestions are based on business and tax structure in the United States - your country may vary. Special thanks to Julia Taylor, Founder of Geek Pack, for an email newsletter reminding me of the value of these basics that are by no means intuitive. Choose Your Business Structure LegalZoom would love to have you hire them to set your business up. There are a variety of services out there happy to do so. For many, the steps are basic enough you can really handle them yourself. Basic options to choose from. Click on the tabs of each type on the LegalZoom website for a quick reference of what may suit you.
Register with the State Once you select your business style, it's time to research legal requirements and where/how to file for that business structure. For an LLC, the fees are fairly small with possibly a bit of additional small cost if you decide to also register a DBA. You may benefit from hiring assistance for a Corporation or Nonprofit. I was able to do an easy search for what agency in my state handles these matters and follow pretty straightforward prompts to create an LLC and DBA. My LLC is LMA Services and DBA is Read. Write. Engage. This gives me the option in the future to create a different business under my LLC. All of this information becomes public record. Get an EIN For those of us in the U.S., an EIN (Employer Identification Number) is a number unique to your business for tax purposes and separate from your personal information. You are able to use this number to refer to your business rather than your social security number for a bit of privacy and separation. You will typically be filing separate tax documents annually for your business. The business structure creates a little liability buffer from your personal finances. This process is through the IRS. Open a Business Bank Account This further creates a buffer between your personal family finances and your business finances. You are better able to track purely business income and expenses. It legitimizes your business practice. There are some tax deductions available under the business umbrella. This gives you a way to bill for your services, deposit income, and make purchases that are strictly for your business. The U.S.'s IRS has deemed 3-5 years as reasonable for your business to be seen as a business endeavor making a profit vs a "hobby." They also want to make sure your business isn't being used as a way to deduct loss for years, encouraging you to make an effort. Job vs Business Lowell Rex, Founder of Epic Business Mentors, has defined a "job" as something one person does where the business is entirely reliant on the effort put in by that one person. If work is not done, there is no income. This typically is something most will never sell to a different business or pass to a family member in inheritance as a complete business or at least client list. A "business" grows larger to hire others and can support itself or grow without the owner being the one to necessarily do the daily work. How is Your Progress? If you're considering creating a business for yourself, hopefully these basic points get you started. If you created a business some time ago, any suggestions to add for those starting out? I look forward to answering questions or walking through the process if useful - Let's Chat or message me on LinkedIn!  Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash 2026 Approaches!
Do you create goals for yourself or your business? This can become a surprisingly heated debate with folks firmly "yay" or "nay" on goals. When Is A Good Time? Short answer--any time! No need to wait for January 1. If you're feeling inspired, it's the perfect time to heed the call. It doesn't need to be the first of the week, month, quarter, or year. Those are handy markers, but any time is good. How to Approach Goal Setting There is a "goal guru" wherever you look. There are different approaches and styles to test out to see what resonates with you. A few ideas have been covered on this blog here, here, here, and here. A Different Way of Thinking A Content Inc podcast by Joe Pulizzi, episode 521, talks about approaching 2026 with intention. Identify what really matters as we approach the new year. Per his show notes--"It's not about doing more...it's about doing less but with intention." Mic drop. Doing Less Before we imagine all the new things we'd like to do going forward, let's consider a time or calendar audit or even gut check on what to do less of. Note: all of these "what" questions can just as easily be "who" questions.
Every "Yes" Is A "No" to Something This is a tough one. Life is just so exciting and full of possibility, It's so easy to want to do all the things! But there are only so many hours in a day in a lifetime. The book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman does a great job of bringing this point home. This may be why the concept of removing tasks, people, meetings, and activities resonates with me. "Focus on What Truly Lights You Up" Now that we've asked some hard questions and realized what we need to say "no" to, we can think hard about what we wish to say "yes" to.
How Long for Goals? Everyone has a different goal tolerance for how long to set your goal or your goal approach. The second Friday in January has become known as Quitters Day. Seriously. For those that focus on January 1 for resolutions, there is a large majority who don't stick with them longer than two weeks! If you're reading this, you've likely been on and off the goal wagon many times. You know yourself about goals. Joe Pulizzi has recently discovered Misogi goals--one powerful but meaningful challenge for 90 days. The approach is to keep that one goal in mind with a daily plan of how to achieve it in 90 days, pushing all else to the side. For business folks, quarterly goals may work, breaking down an annual goal into four pieces. OKR's (Optimal Key Results) may work for you with steps built on the path to the goal. Julia Taylor of GeekPack has a fabulous analogy about this approach. Think of a cross-country road trip with plenty of curves along the path—never a straight line—and identify key stops (mini-goals or check points) along the way. Others of us may need far shorter than year-long goals. Focusing on just one quarter with 30-day check points may be more effective for you. A month with weekly goals may be even better so you can feel successful with how your brain and focus work best. Block the Calendar Yup. You heard me. Make time for the thing you want to focus on to make it happen.
What Is Your Goal Strategy? Are you a Goal Master and regularly move yourself and your goal posts further? Or do you struggle with goals and aren't quite sure what model suits you? I really like the remove items first approach. I'll be adding that twist to my plans this year! I'm a big fan of "start goals any time," but now does feel like a great time to prepare before January 1. Love to hear your approach! Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn!  Is It Really a Big Deal?
The short answer is YES. It really is a big deal to have made it to 3 years in business! Generally, one should be able to at least begin to see profit within 3 years of starting a business. This allows time for growth, firming up your business plan and market, and being able to differentiate yourself as a business rather than a hobby. This does apply to nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and authors as a "business." IRS Tax Deductions TurboTax refers to an IRS "safe harbor rule" that suggests a business should be able to turn a profit in 3 of 5 consecutive years. Keeping records of your business plan, receipts, expenses, and income are critical. Every business owner has their own comfort in what deductions to attribute to a business. A tax professional is always advisable. Mindset - From Startup to Growth The 3-year mark is a transition reference for different challenges in a business. The first 3 years tend to have a lot of adaptations to make to find a solid path forward. Once you get past the 3rd year, you approach your business differently. You feel more in the drivers seat and ready to take on different challenges, seeking more opportunities to expand your client base, consider hiring assistance, or simply feel more confident in what you're doing. Common Challenges - First 3 Years There are some pretty big factors that need figured out in those first 3 years. I do a deeper dive on the first 3 years on this blog post.
Small Business Survival in First 3-5 Years A search of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shares 65-70% of small businesses succeed within their first 3 years. I did find a note that number does continue to drop over time, so survival past the 3rd year is no guarantee, simply an indicator a business has promise to succeed. The 1st year is often driven by excitement and drive. The 2nd year shows the weak spots in cash flow, market, and business plan. The 3rd year is that golden year typically where you've sorted through the obstacles to being viable. At this point you have systems in place for your business, a customer base, and a proven concept! You've Made It - Now What? What does the future hold for your business past the 3rd year? You begin to look at long-term strategy.
Where are you in your business as a nonprofit, entrepreneur, or author - first 3 years or beyond? Have you noticed a difference between the two time periods? Any advice to share? Love to hear from you - Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn!  Simon Sinek - Start with Why Book review time! I've only recently paid attention to the work of Simon Sinek. One of his earliest books, Start with Why, is hailed as a keystone sort of book, especially for business owners. Now that I've read it, I can see why. An Oldie but a Goodie! You can find the book on Amazon, published 2011. An Audible version was posted May 2025 as a 15th anniversary item, narrated by Sinek. He has a smooth, entertaining voice. Anything read by an author tends to get higher on my list! I was able to enjoy it for free through Libby, an audio app connected to many libraries. Generally About Start with Why The book is filled with corporate examples to illustrate his point for individuals and businesses to start with their "why." He highlights a few companies repeatedly as they simply exemplify his message. I'll admit, I got a little bogged down in the middle, but it picked up for me as he got closer to the end with chapters 10-14 noteworthy beyond the first couple of chapters describing the concept. The Golden Circle  This was really the core concept of the book and most easily describes Start with Why. Business owners, small or large, don't necessarily begin with a clear "why," but you have to develop one you can articulate if you have any hope of continuing beyond year three as a business. Why 3 Years? Three Years is considered a key transition time for businesses to mark surviving start-up and transitioning to a sustainable business. Refer to this blog post reviewing the general 3 year business lifecycle. Understanding The Golden Circle
Let's define the pieces of The Golden Circle.
Is Why REALLY That Important? You betcha. Simon offered many examples in his book about corporations rising to success - big ones like Walmart, Apple, Southwest Airlines, and Starbucks - who "got fuzzy" about their Why as founding leaders and corporations faced transitions. It seemed a company remained viable as long as the founder and the corporate WHY was (literally) alive and connected with the business. Once a "What" or "How" style leader became the corporate head, often where money became the object or most visible metric of success, that's where corporations faced challenges to even remain viable, typically with reputations taking a severe hit. This Applies to Small Businesses Yes, my nonprofits, fellow entrepreneurs, and authors—this applies to us "little guys" as well. If we have any hope of lasting past Year 3 and becoming sustainable, we must create that Why if we didn't begin with one clearly in mind. Focusing on What and How Sometimes, you identify a need or a benefit you can offer and you simply start running, figuring things out as you go. That's fine to start. You typically have SOME Why in mind as you go, but it may be fuzzy to start, needs shaped, or adapts a bit in those three years to become viable and suit market interest. However, for your business to sustain, you must formalize your Why and be able to say it clearly to others. This becomes your rock or "North Star" to weigh decisions that arise. Staying True to Your Why Sure, it may still flex as you continue, but likely only a limited amount unless you decide to change businesses, which happens. What and How will regularly adapt as your business grows and evolves. But your Why should remain your core. What About You? Do you have your Why in mind? If not, are you working on fleshing it out? I'm working on the words to update my About page to focus more on my Why. Love to hear your Why and your journey to discover it! Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn!  Are You Struggling to Move Forward?
Sometimes, we're our own worst enemy—standing in our own way! Maybe you're thinking of starting a business or book or blog or anything, but you're stuck in the "some day" or "thinking about it" stage. Maybe you started that thing but it's stalled and isn't really moving forward. The day-to-day is happening but the excitement and fire are gone. You've gotten bogged down in survival mode or simply doing all the steps—wash, rinse, repeat. How to Move On A recent podcast episode from Joe Pulizzi inspired today's post with some suggestions that may energize you. The suggestions noted here were listed in his podcast as excerpts from his new book, Burn the Playbook. It is definitely on my buy list after listening to the podcast. Purchasing from Joe directly gives you a ton of extra resources. As he notes in his podcast, there's no need to implement all of his mindset ideas at once—that's a perfect recipe for failure. Instead, pick one. Start there. 6 Mindset Shifts - Joe Pulizzi
From Drifting to Goal Driven Goals are anchors. Write them. Speak them. Track them. You'll get further than if you have none and float along. "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there" as the Cheshire Cat effectively told Alice in Wonderland. Joe suggests reviewing your BIG goal weekly, if not morning and night, to really ingrain it. Weigh every decision against that goal. Does your action serve to get closer to your goal?
Lean into Your Crazy Identify your "tilt" as Joe calls it. Find your unique set of skills, quirks, and passions. "I help (who) with (what) so they can benefit (how)." From Tilt to Mastery of Repetition "Repetition is branding, not redundancy" - Joe Pulizzi. We've all heard various numbers of how often you need to say something before someone actually hears it, anywhere from 7-20x! Create Before You Consume This is along the 60/60/1 goal idea. Even if you don't follow that philosophy, focus on your goal before you indulge in social media or surfing the news or random entertainment. Focus for your first hour on what you aim to achieve. Consider a time audit for a week to see where you have opportunities to be more focused, capturing those mindless surfing times or how frequently you're checking email. Get Better Friends This one cracks me up, but he has a point! You are who you surround yourself with. Be inspired by being with inspiring people who challenge you to do more or be better. Joe flips this and suggests your crew determines your ceiling - I like that. Build your core group of friends intentionally. Joe suggests a few types:
Sell Every Day! Somewhere along the line, we grew up thinking sales is icky. "Sales" is no more than sharing your opportunity with others! Why wouldn't just the right person want and need to work with you! If you're in business for yourself, you're obligated to share the news. Don't think of it as selling if you're getting hung up on that word. How Is Your Year Going? We're starting Q4 - fourth quarter of the year. No one says you need to start goals on January 1. You can start them any time—including now—or take this opportunity to update what you may have going. I'd love to hear how you're doing on your goals! I'd be thrilled to be someone you can run some ideas by if you're looking to bounce some ideas off of someone. Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn!  Where Are You in Your Goal Plans?
June 1 is the perfect mid-year point for a goal check! We're a tad past that and on the downhill slide of the year, but any time is a good time to check on goal progress—take stock and reset as needed. First Question - Are You Even a Goal Setter? Not everyone is! I do my best to come up with a few (and only a few!) focused goals for a given new year, but I invariably fall off the rigorous bandwagon. My independent "roll with the punches" nature struggles to maintain daily goal tracking. I've tried. Multiple times. A more fluid quarterly (at most) check works better for me to ensure I'm at least flowing in the right direction. So let it be said - no shame for not being a goal setter! No Time Like the Present! There's also no calendar you need to be tied to. So it's not January 1. You can start any time in the year that suits you, even if it's completely random such as July 31! Simply start with today, whatever day that is. NOW What? There are a thousand-and-one Goal Gurus who will be happy to sell you their philosophy on how to best achieve your goals. You've likely tried a few of those! I'm a big fan of the KISS principle - Keep It Simple, Stupid! You know best how your brain works for how to create and monitor goals and keep yourself on track.
What's Next? You've got your goals, either from earlier this year or just created. Now comes the tracking piece.
How's It Going! Those ideas help get you started if you haven't tackled goals for the year yet but would like to. For those who have set goals, how's progress! Are you making gains in work/life balance? Health? Financial? Family focus? Social or even Spiritual? Personal Report My goals this year have been more about maintaining what's working to stay consistent with a few new ones thrown into the mix.
Status Check - Your Turn! Love to hear how your year is going, with or without goals! Are you making progress toward reaching your dreams in personal or work life? Let's Chat by email or connect on LinkedIn to message! I'm here to cheer for you!  Goals - Love 'Em or Hate 'Em?
It's that time of the year when everyone is talking about or thinking about GOALS. It's a natural topic at a milestone like the start of a new year. But it doesn't need to be only at the start or end of a year. Any time is good! And sometimes they need updated along the way. Focused or Loose Goals? How detailed do you get?
Quitter's Day The 2nd Friday in January has become known as Quitter's Day! By this time, many have already fallen short of New Year's goals and just quit all resolutions. Perfectionism is a challenge for many and some decide "If I can't achieve all of them, then none of them are worth pursuing." No One Size Fits All You can find a lot of "Goal Gurus" out there with a variety of suggestions for how to develop goals.
What Kind of a Goal Setter Are You?
As we look to the new year, how are you setting yourself up for success? If you're looking for strategy or marketing assistance to create engagement for your business, Let's Chat! I provide a number of services for nonprofits, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and authors.  The Lazy Genius + Your Business From Amazon: "Kendra Adachi, the creator of the 'Lazy Genius' movement, invites you to live well by your own definition and equips you to be a genius about what matters and lazy about what doesn’t." (emphasis mine) Can it get any easier than that! "Being a Lazy Genius isn't about doing more or doing less. It’s about doing what matters to you." Today we'll look at just a few of the Lazy Genius principles from Kendra Adachi, the creator of the Lazy Genius: • Decide once • Start small • Schedule rest "Do what matters, skip the rest, and be a person again." Be a genius about what matters and lazy about what doesn't." - Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius Decide Once
How brilliant is that! What tasks can you decide once and move on? Figure out what drives you crazy or may be that "last straw" to drive you into madness. Where can you be lazy so you can be brilliant elsewhere?
Start Small Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither were multiple habits created and successful all at once. Pick 1-2 habit ideas or goals and build from there. James Clear has some great ideas! Schedule Rest Be kind to yourself. In being kind to yourself, you'll be more kind or gentle with others. Take a nap as needed if you can. If a nap is not feasible, at least push away from your desk for 4 deep breaths. Take a walk around the building or home. Use a Pomodoro timer! 30 on/10 off may be your rhythm. But take a break from solid focus. Be A Genius About What Matters and Lazy About What Doesn't Do what matters to you! Don't worry about how Suzy seems to have it all together on her Facebook posts. You know better. (HA!) Or, even better, who cares - more power to her. You focus on you. You have your own unique pain points in time + activities. "Meet" Kendra on her website. Signup for her newsletter. Find her podcasts - she's amazing. She has two books out and a third coming October 2026, all available in multiple formats. What are you lazy about so you can be genius elsewhere? Love to hear - Let's Chat! |
Archives
February 2026
Categories
All
|
