This isn’t your grandma’s goal-setting session. As financial coaches, we’re pros at helping our clients set goals, right? We walk them through their dreams, help them create action plans, and celebrate their wins. But how often do we turn that superpower on ourselves and our businesses? If you’re anything like I was, the answer might be not nearly enough.

Your BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal)

Let’s kick things off with something that makes you nervous. Maybe even a little scared. Your BHAG should feel almost impossible but incredibly exciting. It’s okay if you have no idea how to get there. That’s part of the fun.

When I started, my BHAG was making $2,000 per month as a financial coach. Today, that might not seem huge, but back then, when I knew nothing about offering paid services, it felt massive. I didn’t even know what a service-based business looked like—I just knew I wanted to help people with their money and somehow get paid for it.

Today, my BHAG is much, much bigger, and yes, it still makes my palms sweat as I record this. Your BHAG is personal. If it makes your palms sweat and pushes you to think bigger, work harder, and get smarter, then it’s big enough. Don’t compare your BHAG to anyone else’s. Your scary is your scary.

Breaking Down Your Goals

Planning is a skill you build over time. Just like we help our clients start with weekly money plans before moving to annual budgets, you can start with 90-day or six-month goals if annual planning feels overwhelming.

This is exactly what I do with my clients: we start by planning their money just one week out, then two weeks, then one month, and eventually work up to an annual financial plan. The same approach works for business planning. Trust me, I didn’t start with perfect annual plans either.

Start by asking yourself these key questions:

  • What’s going well in my business right now?
  • What areas need improvement?
  • What am I tolerating? (Those small annoyances that drain your energy)

This reflection becomes the foundation of your goal setting, just like how we look at a client’s financial position when they first come to us. We examine what’s working, what’s not, and what’s causing stress.

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

We all have limiting beliefs holding us back. I used to believe that making too much money would make me less relatable to my clients. Can you believe that? I was actually holding myself back from success because I thought it would make me a less effective coach.

Another story I carried? That if I made too much money, my kids would grow up spoiled. I had to flip that script to something I actually believe: that my children’s values come from what my husband Michael and I show them every day, not from our income.

Look at your list of tolerations—there’s probably a story behind each one that allows you to keep accepting it. These stories shape everything: your goals, your actions, and ultimately, your success. Make sure they’re serving you, not limiting you.

Making Goals Actionable

The Good, Better, Best Method

Instead of setting one target that you either hit or miss, create three levels. This gives you flexibility and keeps you motivated. For example:

  • Good: Make three new connections weekly
  • Better: Make five new connections weekly
  • Best: Make seven new connections weekly

This approach works because it acknowledges that some weeks are better than others, and that’s okay. Progress isn’t always linear.

Track What Matters

Choose 2-3 key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to your goals. You might track:

  • Client acquisition or conversion rate
  • Client retention rate
  • Marketing outreach efforts

Mix lead indicators (actions you control) with lag indicators (results). At Fiscal Fitness, we keep everything important in our “Success Tracker” dashboard, and we review it regularly to stay on course.

Implementation: Making It Real

Time Blocking

Schedule goal-related activities like you would client appointments. You probably prepare for client sessions, show up on time, and give them your full attention. Your own priorities deserve the same respect.

Creating Your Annual Roadmap

I use a color-coded calendar system that helps me see the big picture at a glance:

  • Pink for personal and vacation time
  • Blue for events and professional development
  • Orange for launches

Start by marking personal commitments first—family time is a priority. Then add business goals, launches, and professional development. This helps spot patterns and busy seasons. For instance, fall is heavy on travel for me, while spring is lighter, making it perfect for events like our Client Creator Challenge that we run every January.

This system helps me see potential conflicts early. I can spot when I’m trying to pack too much into one season or when I need to protect more family time.

Your Action Plan

  1. Create your BHAG and yearly goals (or quarterly, if that feels better). Make them visible—I want to see them! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram or in our Facebook group.
  2. Block time for annual planning right now—not tomorrow, not next week. Right now.
  3. Set up your tracking and accountability systems because what gets measured gets managed.

Remember: Planning ahead is a skill. The more you do it, the better you get. Don’t let perfectionism stop you from starting—I certainly didn’t start with perfect annual plans, and look where we are now.

Finding Support

Connect with other coaches through:

Working with an accountability partner can make all the difference. In the mastermind, we’re all about accountability partners. Share your progress, challenges, and celebrate wins together. You can set up monthly check-ins to keep each other on track.

Remember what gets measured gets managed. But more importantly, remember that the goals you’re setting today are laying the foundation for the coaching business you’re building—one that makes your palms sweat in the best possible way.

Your goals might feel big and scary right now. Good. That means you’re thinking big enough. And just like we tell our clients, you don’t have to figure it all out alone.