Planning
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
I’d like you to pull out the goals you’re going to work towards first, the broad, longer-term ideas that sit within your business and then we’re going to break them down into smaller elements so we can implement.
I like using an approach based on Todd Herman, an elite athlete coach. He calls it the 90 Day Year, but essentially it’s a three-month planning system. In times of rapid change, for example during COVID, I found myself setting even shorter-term goals with clients. At one point, we were planning in two-week blocks. The reason for this is twofold: flexibility and motivation. Shorter timeframes help us stay responsive and allow us to review, repair, and redirect faster. When we set goals too far into the future, we lose our grip on motivation. When we work slightly shorter-term, we create better motivating biofeedback in the brain.
Pick the goals you’re going to focus on over the next three months from the previous module. Then we’re going to take those goals and break them down into strategies. For example, if you have a marketing goal to get more customers, we’ll break that down into the different strategies — the ways you’re actually going to do that.
Once you have the goal, you create the strategies that will get you there. These are the broader approaches. Then you take each strategy and break it down into very specific tasks. If you need to, you can break those tasks down even further into smaller tasks. The aim is to make everything bite-size.
Next, you work out who is going to do the work. Often when we fill this in, we realise it’s all us — and that can be an unsustainable way to run a business. So be mindful here. Who is actually best placed to do each task? Do you need to outsource? Do you need to pay for help or bring in a team?
Finally, you assign time. You set deadlines. This is crucial. It keeps momentum and energy moving forward, helps you recognise when something is complete, and allows you to build in the reward element of SMARTER goals. It also gives you something to measure and review later. If you’re not hitting your goals, this structure makes it much easier to see why and adjust.
Below, I’ve broken these elements down. You can format this however you like. I often use a table with clients. Using goals as the header, then strategies, tasks, who, and time underneath. Personally, I use huge pieces of butcher’s paper with text and lines going everywhere. The format doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’ve broken it down, allocated tasks and set deadlines.
I’m using marketing as an example because it applies across most businesses and we’ve worked very specifically on it in the previous course but this process works for any goal you’re working towards.
Goal – Improve marketing to reach more paying clients.
| Strategy | Tasks | Who | Time |
| Refine website messaging | Review homepage copy Clarify value proposition Edit headline and call to action | Me Me me | DD/MM/YYYY DD/MM/YYYY DD/MM/YYYY |
| Build consistent social media presence | Write 12 posts aligned with brand values Create or source visuals Schedule posts | Social Media Manager Social Media Manager Fiverr | DD/MM/YYYY DD/MM/YYYY DD/MM/YYYY |
| Increase local visibility and connection | Research relevant local events Register for events Attend Follow up with contacts | Me Me Me | DD/MM/YYYY DD/MM/YYYY DD/MM/YYYY |
| Capture and nurture leads | Choose email platform Create simple sign-up form Add form to website Draft welcome email | Me Web developer Web developer Me | DD/MM/YYYY DD/MM/YYYY DD/MM/YYYY |
Activity
- Choose 1–3 key goals to focus on over the next three months.
- Make sure each goal aligns with your vision and mission.
- For each goal, write down the main strategies that will help you achieve it.
- Break each strategy down into clear, specific tasks.
- Assign each task to a person (you or someone else).
- Set a realistic deadline for each task.
- Review whether the workload is sustainable and adjust if needed.
