How to achieve goals… your mistakes that stand in the way of success

How to achieve goals... your mistakes that stand in the way of success

Humour about the unrealistic life plan of ‘school – university – back and forth – millionaire’ is often spread on the Internet. We often dream of great results, but then something goes wrong and the goal seems unattainable. The reason is the wrong approach to setting and achieving goals.

In this article, I’ll share how I approach setting business goals and what to do to avoid failures on the way to achieving them ?

How to set goals? Your typical mistakes

The most common one is the inability to distinguish between fatal and correctable decisions. In business, irreversible mistakes can be very costly. It is important to learn to see which steps can be replayed and which lead to a point of no return.

Therefore, I recommend minimising the number of failures:

• A clear understanding and vision of the goal. If you don’t know where you are going, your decisions will be chaotic and uncertain. The goal should be so clear that you can easily explain it to anyone in a few seconds.

• A clear plan for achieving your goals. Create a step-by-step plan that describes each stage. This will reduce chaos and help you avoid uncertainty.

• Act according to the plan. Follow the algorithm and perform the actions outlined in your plan. Don’t deviate from the plan without good reason.
  Follow the steps in your plan. Do not deviate from the plan without good reason.

• Follow the steps in your plan. Do not deviate from the plan without good reason.

• Compare results. Evaluate the interim results of your activities and compare them with what was planned. This will help you see how close you are to your goal.

• Analyse mistakes and prevent them in the future. If the result does not meet expectations, develop an algorithm to avoid mistakes.

• Involve a mentor. It’s hard to see potential mistakes when you’re inside the process.   Ask a mentor to analyse your decisions. A fresh perspective from a professional will help you avoid pitfalls.

• Perform risk analysis. Create a contingency plan to be prepared for any unexpected events.

• Test for flexibility and adaptation. The market and circumstances change, so you need to revise your plans. Be able to adapt to new conditions while maintaining a balance between strategy and flexibility.

Don’t be afraid of mistakes – only beware of those that lead to irreversible consequences. Others are your best teachers and steps forward on the path to success.

How to reach your goal: types of mistakes and ways to avoid them

Entrepreneurs often make mistakes in setting goals. You need to have a clear understanding of your goal. If you can’t explain exactly what you want to achieve, then you have formulated the goal incorrectly. It’s like setting off without a compass.

? Goals such as ‘to raise agriculture’, ‘to help people’, ‘to make a unique product’ are not specific, they are more like dreams or desires. Startups often fail to get the funding they need because they don’t identify specific steps to implement their plan, and investors want to see more than just good ideas.

Setting goals. Reasonable planning of the process of achieving them

A common mistake is to move without a plan, relying only on intuition. Their actions are chaotic, which often leads to failure. Most business mistakes can be grouped as follows:

✅ Mistakes in goal setting – incorrect formulation of the goal or its absence.

✅ Mistakes in planning – the absence or vagueness of an action plan.

✅ Failure to comply with the plan – poor performance or deviation from the approved plan.

✅ Lack of control – there is no monitoring of implementation and adjustments if necessary.

✅ Lack of analysis – no comparison of results with expectations and analysis of errors.

Thinking, acting and context... about the big blocks of mistakes

Thinking errors

• Incorrect goal setting – when you formulate a goal that is not specific or in line with your capabilities.
• Wrong mental attitudes – negative beliefs that limit development.
• Incorrect calculations – mistakes in planning, failure to take into account important aspects.
• Unjustified expectations – overestimating opportunities and ignoring risks.

For example, a lawyer dealing with civil cases took on a criminal case because the client promised a good fee, and did not take into account the lack of experience in a particular area.

Any mistake in thinking can prevent even the best of plans from being achieved..

Errors of action or inaction

• Lack of action – when you procrastinate and don’t follow through with the planned steps.
• Wrong actions – when you do something without preparation or without considering all the factors.
• Lack of skills – when you do not have sufficient competence to complete tasks.

 Next Step Living, an energy audit company, decided to expand its operations and install solar panels. However, this turned out to be unprofitable, and the wrong actions led to business losses.

Errors of context or influence

Once you’ve got your mindset right and you’ve started to take action, you need to consider any external factors.

• Time – whether you are acting at the right time, taking into account market trends and seasonality.
• Environment – how your activities will affect people around you: customers, partners, employees.
• Competitors – whether you anticipate the actions of other market players.
• Consumers – do you understand the needs of your customers.

When planning, it is important not only to think about your own goals, but also to take into account the market reaction, competitors’ behaviour and customer expectations. Such mistakes can negate all previous efforts.

For example, the Ukrainian lingerie brand brabrabra launched an advert featuring famous Ukrainian women speaking on behalf of female soldiers. However, the defenders did not consent to the use of their quotes. This scandal had a negative impact on the brand’s reputation, as it was not taken into account that such quotes without permission could offend some of the audience.

The impact of action and inaction...

When you make decisions, you choose where to focus your resources and what to give up

Even inaction is a form of influence. For example, lying on the sofa still creates a certain amount of influence: you take up space where your wife or child could be sitting. This applies not only to everyday situations, but also to business: when you don’t make a decision, it also has consequences.

Often, entrepreneurs plan only their own steps without considering how their actions will interact with the world around them.

Imagine that you decide to cross the road at a green light. If you only consider your actions (the decision to cross the road), you may encounter unexpected problems, such as a car that decides to run a red light. Therefore, you must also consider the forces against you (slippery road, traffic), the forces in favour of you (the flow of people crossing with you), and the interaction (random pedestrians, the number of cars).

How to set goals for the year?

First, it is important to evaluate the achievements and mistakes of the previous year to understand where to focus.

Apply the SMART principles to each goal: define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound objectives. For example, instead of the general ‘I want to sell more’, specify ‘increase sales by 20% by the end of the year’. Break down big goals into smaller ones and create a detailed action plan with specific steps, resources, and deadlines.

Remember to check your progress regularly and make adjustments as needed. Enlisting the support of a mentor or colleagues can be very helpful for additional motivation and advice. And most importantly, celebrate your achievements, even the small ones ?.

I want you to conquer your mistakes too!

Achieving goals is not just about having a clear vision and plan. It’s also about how you manage the mistakes that will inevitably occur. Failures give you a chance to understand what works and what doesn’t and adjust your approach.

Don’t be afraid of mistakes, but learn from them. Focus on the right mindset, clear goals, and strategic planning. The road to success is rarely without obstacles, but with the right tools and approach, you can achieve what you want.

To help you clarify your goals and avoid irreversible mistakes, especially those that are so easy for a start-up entrepreneur to make at the start of their journey, I invite you to Wow Mentor, where I will become your business partner for a month or more. I know how difficult it is to build a business on your own without high-quality expert support. Fill out the form below or write to my assistant, and we’ll see you in a personal chat!