In my trips around town, I listen to free teleseminars I have downloaded. I frequently hear the same advice: set your goals and put them in writing. Post them on your wall or your bathroom mirror where they serve as a constant reminder.
Occasionally I hear something even better: when the moderator asks listeners to share their goals. This is generally done anonymously or with a first name only and I find it fascinating.
What especially intrigues me is that all the goals I hear are monetary: How much I want to earn this month or this year.
I have monetary goals also but they are insufficient in providing me with direction. Because if my only goal is monetary, then my sole intent is to determine the best effective way to make more money.
Maybe I’m not on the most effective path. Maybe I should be revealing Donald Trump’s get-rich secrets or “no-fail” MLM programs. I’d guess it must be working for some of the people I inadvertently follow on Twitter because they sure seem to stick with it.
Anyhow, in addition to making money, here are my other two goals:
- To help self-employed service providers develop their businesses (and achieve their income goals) through my marketing coaching and information products.
- To be heard.
The first relates to a search for meaning and serving others. If it is just about making money, there are a lot of roads to take me there. This idea of service complicates decisions but also keeps me motivated over the longer term.
The second one is more complex. Frankly, I’m still figuring out what it means to me.
It popped into my head quite awhile ago. Communicating with others, especially via writing and speaking, are core callings of mine. They support my more formal business objectives, but they also steer me in directions that do not clearly boost the search engine optimization of my internet presence.
I suspect that is true for lots of bloggers and other internet marketers. Which is why some blogs are strictly business and others have a larger component of self expression.
What about your goals? Do you have clear goals beyond monetary figures? Comments invited.
Like they say in the film “Jerry Maguire” – play with heart and the money will follow. I really do hope this is true. (But I suppose a little marketing doesn’t hurt either!)
My primary goal in my business is to develop meaningful partnerships with others who enjoy creative expression through designing a business.
In the partnership, I help them by supporting them through some of the inner obstacles to getting things going, and they help me by providing food for thought and camaraderie. I never leave a coaching conversation without a ton of new things to think about.
Which leads to another of my goals, my Big Mission, which is to inspire people to think for themselves and develop their own ideas.
Money? Yes, I want that, too. But just enough. For me, interesting ideas and engaging activities with inspiring people is wealth.