Do you know what success looks like for you? It’s a simple-sounding question that’s thought-provoking and inevitably leads to many different answers. But often, it can also highlight a lack of clarity around your business goals. And if you’re not sure what you’re aiming for, you’ll struggle to gain traction or reach any level of business success.
So if you’re struggling with getting clear on what success looks like or even means to you, here are five pointers that will help.
#1: Know what drives you forward
As mentioned in the blog post How to set yourself up for success this year – you need to know where you’re headed. So if you want to know what success looks like for you, start by getting clear on what drives you forward.
This is often the reason why you started business in the first place and is often referred to as ‘your why’. But know that it doesn’t have to be a big thing or something world-changing either! It could simply be a desire to earn a full-time wage or to help provide support for other online business owners.
#2: Monetary goals are only one part of the success equation
When deciding what success looks like for you, know that earning money is only part of the success equation. It pays to set yourself a guiding monetary amount to gauge your sales and financial targets, but don’t get fixated on the money alone. For many, it’s often not the main reason (or the driving factor) behind why you’re in business for yourself – and can often demotivate you if it’s the only success gauge you have!
#3: Lifestyle and freedom have a big part to play in your overall view of success
Lifestyle and freedom are often the biggest success gauges you can have. Achieving a better work-life balance is top of the agenda for many entrepreneurs. So know what you want work and home life to look like. Do you want to spend more time with your children than at work? Maybe you’re looking to travel and want a work schedule that accommodates this? Ensure you’re factoring these things in when you’re looking to set your business goals so you know what success looks like for you.
#4: Are you viewing what success looks like for you or someone else?
People you follow on social media, family members, other business owners – they all have their views on success. So are you viewing success through your lens or that of someone else? It’s easy to get sucked into the lifestyles you see online and factor in the views of others when you’re planning your own goals and plans. But if you want to feel truly successful, you need to drop other people’s expectations and opinions to clarify what you truly want.
#5: Have a clear vision of what success looks like for you
You can then spend a little time visualising what success looks like. How would it look if you only had yourself to consider? What would you want in your life and business if money and time were no object? How would things look, and how would you act? Have a clear vision of what success looks like for you. Focus on it and remind yourself of it every time you set your business goals. And if you need help staying on track with those goals, check out 5 creative ways to keep your goals on track.
Because when it comes to knowing what success looks like for you, only you have the correct answers. The above tips will help, as they’ll ensure you’re asking yourself the right questions to set suitable goals. You can then look further into things that will help you reach them, such as getting the right support network in place to support your needs and planning your week like a pro to factor in the goals you’re working towards.
And know that if you’re looking for support, we’re here to help! We’re a small team of dedicated, dependable, and effective virtual assistants and virtual personal assistants who provide various virtual administration support services to help you streamline your workload and take care of your admin tasks. So why not reach out, and let’s discuss how we can best support you to reach that vision of success you now have clarity on! You’ll find our contact information here.