You want to make 2022 your best Childcare Biz year yet, but you say the same every year. Does it seem like no matter what you do, when it comes to planning your goals and actually reaching them, something just isn’t working for you?
“Goals” is nearly always the buzzword during December, while January is constantly “New Year New You”. This is the time of year when we are meant to reflect on the progress we made towards goals set at the beginning of the year, and I’m a HUGE fan…but I am finding more and more, we set goals, plan goals and, year on year, don’t achieve these goals. So, instead of continuing to do something that isn’t working…if this is you…then this blog post is for you!
Let’s make 2022 your best year yet by doing goal setting the right way!!
Nyckie, why is goal setting so important?
Goals provide you with focus so that when you set them, you can take control of the direction of your life and your business. Every decision you make and all the little actions you take ought to bring you closer to achieving those goals.
By setting goals, you’ll stay motivated, usually see an increase in your happiness, and you’ll notice improvement across your business and day-to-day living. When you set yourself goals, you’re creating a vision of what your your childcare business could look like. And if you want to get the bet results possible, you start pushing yourself and your team that little bit harder and can celebrate all the mini-goals on the journey.
So how come goals don’t always work out?
Lots of us write down our goals in December or January, but by March they’ve often fizzled out. So why is that? What things do you notice hold you and other people you know back from actually reaching the goals you’ve set?
There are a few reasons why people fail to accomplish their New Year goals. Sometimes it’s down to circumstances (uh hello pandemic!) but more often than not it’s because you’ve not set goals properly. I’m going to outline several of them below and you can figure out which one’s you’re guilty of!
So here are a few dos to help and don’ts to avoid so you can crush your goals in 2022!
1. Be SPECIFIC with your goals
When it comes to your goals it is vital that you set out super clear ones. If your goals are not specific, your action steps won’t be focused enough and then your achievements will be wishy-washy too! The more specific you are, the easier you can plan, be accountable and actually end the year having moved forward.
So set SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound). Make your goal specific so you can easily track your progress and know whether you met the goal. The more specific you can be with your goal, the higher the chance you’ll complete it.
For example, if you’re setting goals to earn a certain amount, but don’t decide how much money you want to bring in, or when you want to accomplish this goal…then you’re going to struggle to achieve it at all! Because what is “it”?! So get specific! Instead try something like: “I want to bring in $25000 by the Fourth of July.” This goal provides an exact amount of money you are aiming for AND an end date to get it done by.
So remember: vague goals give vague results!! And that’s not going to help you make 2022 your best Childcare Biz year yet, is it?!
2. Don’t let a lack of FOCUS hold you back
Remember when you focus on all the things you achieve absolutely nothing. So, instead I’d like to encourage you to set fewer really great goals and focus on getting those achieved. Sometime we set ourselves up for failure by writing down so many goals we can never find the time to dedicate to all of them. And this lack of focus holds so many of us back from achieving great things!
Wouldn’t you rather achieve a few brilliant goals than 20 unfinished goals? I know which camp I’m in. If you’re going to do something, do it well! So give your goal the focus it deserves!
3. Taking ACTION is paramount!
I’m the first to acknowledge that mindset and positivity are incredibly important, however I also know that sometimes people get caught up in all the mindset work. They actually end up using it as a form of procrastination. It’s not going to help them, in fact it’s distracting them from doing the work.
So I’m recommending that instead of getting lost in a whole lotta background and planning, TAKE ACTION! Because taking those first steps towards your goal will give you the momentum and confidence you need to keep going.
ACTION gets you results and it’s time to be honest, are you actually putting in the hard work? Would you rather be binging Netflix or planning your marketing for your childcare business? If you said Netflix, then I want you to have a rethink!! Do the work, Ninja!
Make 2022 your best Childcare Biz year yet by taking focused action to achieve your goals!
4. Stop making excuses.
This might seem a little harsh, but bear with me. I talk with hundreds of childcare business owners every month and I’ve lost count of the amount of times I hear people blaming other for their lack of achievement. Sometimes life is going to throw you curveballs (I know because I’ve had more than my fair share!) but there’s no point in wasting time and energy on being the victim.
At the end of the day, this is your life, your childcare business, your goals and your legacy. So blaming everyone and everything for your failures is not going to get you any closer to reaching your goals. In fact, I’m pretty sure it will push you further away.
5. Be ACCOUNTABLE.
This is one of the most important things to do. If no one knows about your goals except you, it’s easy for you to let yourself down. Have someone to hold you be accountable. Organize meet ups with them to discuss your progress and help you find solutions to any challenges that come up. It could be a business friend or a coach!
Something that’s really helped me to achieve my goals is investing in myself and getting support and accountability. I can no longer sneak my unachieved goals past my brain, because I’ve got people looking out for me, ensuring that I’m motivated towards achieving bigger and better things. So invest in yourself. I guarantee this will be the best thing you’ll ever do for your childcare business.
Make 2022 your best Childcare Biz year yet by joining my Childcare Ninjas free Facebook community and get the accountability you need from like-minded daycare owners!
I talk more about why your childcare business goal planning ISN’T working in my latest YouTube video:
Earlier you read about how important accountability and planning SMARTer is. And I’ve got just the thing to give you a head start! This is no ordinary paper planner. It’s specifically designed with Childcare Business owners in mind. Because I got sick of having to tweak the ones aimed at other industries!
And because I know a planner is zero use without accountability, I’ve added an accountability piece to my new and improved Nyckie B’s 2022 Childcare Business Planner System!
Pre-order yours now ——–> here!
Sometimes being a home daycare provider can feel pretty isolated and massively overwhelming. Getting connected with other childcare owners is a game changer! Gain strategies and tips to move your childcare business forward by joining a community! That’s why I set up my Facebook group, where you can hang out with like-minded and aspirational daycare owners. Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be!
Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too. We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
