Are you in camp stretch goal to push you further or camp achievable goal to feel good when you achieve it? That depends on whether your perspective on the question ‘are stretch goals useful or useless?’.
We’d all love to achieve things beyond our wildest dreams but short of just believing the universe will deliver as you sip cocktails poolside, you need to take action to make the goals happen. Part of that is believing the goal is possible. Part of that is pushing yourself to make it happen.
The Problem with Stretch Goals
Often people get confused between a stretch goal and something that just isn’t actually possible. If your brain doesn’t believe it’s possible then it’s demotivating and overwhelming. And it will likely discourage you from taking any action. You’ll struggle to build any momentum because the end result still seems so far away.
In SMART goals it’s ALWAYS got to be realistic or achievable depending on your definition of the letters you choose. Let’s take earning a shed load more money than you have so far. Sounds awesome, going from a $1k week to a $10k week. Consider what impact is that going to have on you and your business. What are the consequences of making a big jump? Does your brain even think it’s safe to earn that much money?
Breaking it Down
One way to reduce overwhelm and increase motivation is breaking something down into smaller steps that will eventually lead to the goal. In doing this we check the logic of the goal, is it actually possible or just a fantasy.
For money goals, you can check how many packages do I need to sell to make $10k a month. For new client goals, you could check how many people do I need to speak to in order to convert 5 new clients. This exercise helped me to see that six figures from my side-hustle jewellery business was a total fantasy for me at $45 average price per item.
Chasing these smaller goals can help build momentum and help you to recognise you are taking the steps, even if you miss the big goal
All or Nothing
The other impact of stretch goals can be the burnout that follows pushing extra hard. It’s the tortoise and the hare analogy. You probably can manage 200% exertion for a while but where will that leave you?
It’s important to check if the goal is sustainable, do you have two hours a day to post and engage in twelve Facebook groups, if not then maybe changes that fit with your business (lifestyle) would be better habits to build. So you can sustain them long-term and they can pay off long-term.
For some goals, the short, quick hard push could be the perfect solution. Updating your website, once it’s done, it’s done, at least for a while. But for other longer-term goals, the stretch may backfire and you end up completely off Facebook because you can’t stand the sight of it.
How to Try Stretch Goals without Beating Yourself Up
To really harness the power of a stretch goal you have to be 100% okay with not achieving it. The point of setting it as a stretch is to push you out of your comfort zone. Not to become a reason to judge and criticise if you don’t reach the goal. Remember you kinda didn’t expect the get there. Yep, it would be nice, amazing, fabulous but it’s beyond what you thought was realistic.
It’s also wise to only set a single stretch goal at once. Otherwise, you’ll be pulled in all the directions to capacity.
Personally, I use stretch goals to help me get comfortable. My current stretch goal is to earn $10k in 45 days, which is the GST registration threshold. Every time I think about that goal I train my brain into seeing it as familiar which helps me to make it feel safe and possible. I’ve achieved it a couple of times BUT I want to achieve it consistently, reliably and not allow my imposter to tell me it was a fluke.
That’s where imposter can kick in after the fact, setting a stretch goal can lead to ‘lucky’ thinking. I was lucky this time but I’ll not be able to do it again. And you’re back at square one with your goals. So use stretch goals strategically and without expectation for short bursts.
So what’s your view? Are stretch goals useful or useless?
If you need help SMARTening your goals so you believe in them and take consistent action even though you’ll feel resistance and hear imposter question then get in touch for a free chat about how we could work together.
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