Make Small Business Goal-setting Easier and Less Daunting

Or, how to set goals for small business without losing your mind!

It's early January 2025, and we’re off to the races with small business goal-setting, planning, and New Year’s resolutions. Sheesh!  Is your head spinning, yet?

For many of us—especially those with ADHD—this can feel incredibly overwhelming. If that’s you, you’re not alone.

The good news? It doesn’t have to feel that way. Over the past few days, I’ve been exploring ways to make goal-setting easier and less daunting, and today, I’m excited to share some empowering tips that might help you.

 

Simplfy

First, stop calling them “goals” if that word feels overwhelming. Call them an aim, a target, a mission, or a project—it’s your process, so name it in a way that feels approachable to you.

Perfectionists (hi, ADHD friends!) often get stuck trying to define everything perfectly before even starting.

But here’s the truth: you don’t need to have all the answers upfront. A plan doesn’t have to be perfect, and it doesn’t need all the details in place. The important part is just starting.

 

Focus

Jot down a few steps, even if they’re messy, and refine as you go. Imperfect action is better than perfect procrastination.

Additionally, revisit your “aims” regularly. Write them down, and put them somewhere you’ll see them often. Forget about making an exhaustive list of goals for every area of your life—sometimes that’s just too much.

Focus on what truly matters to you. For me, this year’s goal is simple (but impactful): mastering follow-ups and overcoming my fear of rejection. By focusing on one key area, I believe everything I do will eventually align with that purpose, and I can grow without feeling overwhelmed.

 

Remember

Here’s another game-changer: leverage your strengths. We’re so quick to criticize ourselves for mistakes or things we didn’t accomplish, but we often forget how much we bring to the table.

Take some time to list your strengths. Remind yourself of all the amazing qualities that draw people to you. Start with a broad list if you need to, and gradually narrow it down to focus on the skills you’re most proud of, maybe 5 or 10. Trust me, this exercise is a powerful confidence booster.

Find a list of 90 strengths you can choose yours from in this link.  Don't get hung up on their strengths test.  Scroll and find the list.

 

Streamline

And finally, give yourself permission to timebox the small business goal-setting process. That's a mouthful!  Set a limit—one hour, for instance—to figure out your aims. That’s it. Knowing you only need to dedicate 60 minutes makes it less intimidating.

And guess what? You can ALWAYS return to it later. Remember, C+ work runs the world. Done is better than perfect.

You’ve got this. Start where you are, work with what you have, and take one small step at a time. Empower yourself to move forward—and watch how far you can go.