On Wednesday, Google rolled out their latest life assist, or life hack, “Goals”. The extension of the Calendar app, available on both Andriod and iOS, prompts users to be more active, or learn something new and it will even reschedule your goal should a meeting run late. This got me thinking about our on-demand and instant gratification society and how in this world of constant micro initiatives, are we really able to think big picture?
Like many business owners, each day is jam-packed, fueled by a seemingly never-ending “to do” list, and if not for apps, such as Google Calendar, many would be lost. We hustle. That’s the name of the game, and we thrive on it. But there are many days that end up being just a blur of phone calls, emails and deliverables— on these days, do you always connect back to your overall business goals? Do you have to in order to be successful? The answer is that, in some degree, you always have to have your eye on the prize. What you do in your everyday life has to connect back to your established goals, but it doesn’t have to be linear.
When I say that, I mean, it doesn’t have to directly correlate with a desired end result, it just has to be in an effort to accomplish said goal. But, how do you remind yourself? One solution: sticky notes. It might not be your solution, but in order to keep your goals top of mind, they have to be visible in your everyday life. The more you consciously acknowledge your goals, the more likelihood that they will be accomplished. (Same rule applies to selling to your consumer, but you knew that)
The one certainty of being a business owner is uncertainty. Every day has the potential to present itself with its own set of challenges and you have to adapt to survive. However, even when you’re in the thick of it, you need to ground yourself with what you set out to do. Read your company’s mission statement— is your business the same now as it was originally? What has changed? It’s natural and healthy for any business to evolve over time, however, be mindful of those adaptations and adjust your goals— and keep them present in your every day.
