We are taught at a young age that goal setting is very valuable for achieving our dreams and aspirations. We are also taught that writing down those goals increases our likelihood of achieving them. These things have not changed one bit, for anyone. But even after we write down those goals, why do some people achieve goals more successfully and efficiently than others? The burning question for both business and life.

Let me start by sharing some of my own experience.

When building my first company, we had big dreams! And like many new and growing companies, we also made [big] mistakes. Our first mistake was not setting goals that connected to those big dreams. Yes I know, this seems like a silly mistake seeing how we have all been told since our youth to write down our goals.  Well, hindsight is always 20-20.  

When we finally discovered this mistake, we were four years into our first company, having raised lots of venture capital and trying to survive. We were desperately looking for a framework for our company that would provide forward movement towards our goals.  Quite honestly, we were looking for a framework for our business… and our lives.

After lots of trial and error, we discovered what we were missing. We needed to put in the work and GUT IT OUT! This meant answering some of the most important questions we would ever answer about our business and ourselves as individuals.

Here are the 14 questions we ask ourselves, both individually for our personal lives, and as a leadership team for our company:

1. What is our core purpose?
2. What are our core values?
3. What is our 10-30 year goal?
4. Where do we want to be in 3 years time?
5. What will be our key capabilities in 3 years?
6. What will we be known for in 3 years?
7. Where do we want to be at the end of this year?
8. What is our Number 1 Priority to achieve this year?
9. What is our critical number to measure this achievement in the next 12 months?
10. What is our #1 goal for the next 90 days?
11. What is our critical number to measure this achievement in the next 90 days?
12. What are the top 3 things we need to do in the next 30 days?
13. What the top priorities for this week?
14. What should I do today?

Most companies (and people) do not want to GUT IT OUT and answer these questions.  Because they might be wrong  BIG DEAL!!  Do not be one of those people!  Take a piece of paper, your mobile phone, or computer and answer these questions today.  GUT IT OUT! Once you do, you will consider your answers, evolve them, and evolve them some more in the direction of your company and/or your life. 

These questions are the foundation of my companies success and my life, but GUTTING OUT the answers is the key to ensuring what you want to happen is achieved!  Good luck and “GUT IT OUT”.

Want more information to help you GUT IT OUT? Get your copy of 3HAG WAY today! It is a prescriptive guide that will assist you in GUTTING IT OUT

 -Shannon Byrne Susko