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Do You Really Need Business Goals? The Surprising Answer
by Steve Slaunwhite
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!" For example, as a freelance copywriter, one of your goals might be to make a six- figure income, or get a F-500 client, or double your writing speed without sacrificing quality.
But wait a minute. Do you really need goals? Must you always be pushing hard towards a specific target, like an Olympiad going for the Gold?
What if you just kept doing what you're doing now? Wouldn't the momentum you've already created in your freelance business naturally take you where you want to go – without the added oomph (and stress) that comes from pursuing an ambitious goal?
Here is an interesting exercise that will help you find out.
Make two lists.
On List #1, write down where you will be in five years IF you just kept doing what you're doing now. For example, if you are a full time copywriter, you might expect your income to gradually increase as you gain more experience, become more business savvy, write better, quote better, and attract better paying 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.
Ask yourself: Am I on the right track? Or is there a serious gap between where I want to be versus where I'm going?
Let's say List#1 indicates that in five years you'll likely be doing very well in the B2B writing market. And List #2 says the same thing – that you WANT to do well in that market. If this is the case, you really don't really need any big business goals. Just keep doin' what you're doin'!
Of course, this doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels. You will need to plan. You will need to keep getting better. But what you won't need is a series of Herculean objectives. The road you're already on, and the pace you're traveling on it, will naturally take you to where you want to go.
But what if List #1 indicates that you won't be doing well in the healthcare market? Perhaps you're struggling to get clients. Or you don't have enough knowledge. Or all your writing samples are for an entirely different industry. If so, 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 ambitious GOALS.
Goals aren't easy. They take a lot of work. You can expect to put in many extra hours, learn new things, deal with setbacks, face discouragement and lack of motivation, and much more.
But I can tell you, based on my own experience, that working towards your goals – even if you fall short of achieving them – is worth the effort.
I'd much rather work hard to get where I want to be, and not make it, then to coast to a place I don't want to be, and get there.
UPDATE: I wrote that article last year during a time when I was rethinking my business. I eventually decided to change direction and, to do that, I set some pretty big goals. Guess what? It's been a heck of a lot of work! Was it worth all the late nights? Of course it has.
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