One of the biggest mistakes I see creative entrepreneurs make is being in a perpetual state of “I should do this, I should work on that, I’ve got an idea!” and the like.

And listen: I get it. For me, creative freedom in my projects is key. But when business owners set goals only when inspiration strikes, they tend to build a lot of short ladders that make them really busy, yet not really accomplish anything.

Today I’m going to teach you how a quarterly-based project system changes that. It allows you to still be creative while being productive, because you are focused on measurable results that you set at the beginning. So, let’s dive in!

Step 1: Divide the year into 4 quarters

When you divide the year into 3-month increments and choose to focus on one big project per quarter, all of the sudden the many ideas in your head don’t sound as intimidating to tackle. This system allows you to be anticipatory in your business rather than reactionary, and plan out the year systematically.

Step 2: Clearly define the outcomes for each project

After you decide which project you will do every quarter, take the time to make your outcomes super specific. For example, if your goal for quarter one is to have a bigger email list, ask yourself how many people would you like on it. With a specific, measurable outcome, you will know at the end of the quarter that if you had 300 people on your list, you accomplished your goal.

Step 3: Work backwards

Okay boo, step 3: your idea is on one end, the specific result is on the other, now it’s time to figure out everything in the middle. Often when we look at a goal from the starting point, it is very difficult to imagine how you will get from point A to point B. But if you start by asking yourself questions from where you want to end up, you will quickly know where to begin because the steps will just start coming to you.

Bonus tip: If you get stuck, attend the University of Google

You know the alumni sweatshirts that say “University of ___”? Well I should literally have a sweatshirt that says University of Google because ya’ll, I Google EVERYthing… from how to curl my hair, how to cook my dinner, and how to manage SEO in my business!

Friend, if you’re anything like me, you want to make 2019 different than 2018. You are ready to get organized, but you do not be shackled to someone else’s rules because you are a creative at heart.

My advice is to break your year into quarters, decide when you’ll work on each project, figure out the goal, and then work backwards. This project-based system will completely change your business, boo, and I am so excited for you!

After you have goal-set for each quarter, it’s time to start thinking about your promotional launch plan for each project. Be sure to download this month’s Social Curator Action Plan that will walk you through this step-by-step.

I you'd like to see more of the conversation I had regarding annual business planning, check out THIS VIDEO…