What are your goals for the year ahead? Do you have any pie-in-the-sky dreams that you’d love to achieve? Or something that seems reasonable to achieve, but life (or Miss Procrastination!) keeps throwing things your way, so you never get the chance to start?

What if I told you that achieving these goals is possible – in just 100 days?

Recently, I attended a local business networking event with guest speaker, Julia Bickerstaff, from The Business Bakery. You may have heard of her – she’s the finance expert on Australia’s Channel 7 show “Kochie’s Business Builders” and a regular on ABC’s Finance Quarter. Julia also writes for digital publications such as Smartcompany and Flying Solo, and does lots of keynote speaking as well.

I was very excited to hear Julia speak about the 100 Day Goal Challenge. I had initially signed up to the challenge after starting Write Time Marketing, but didn’t get very far. Life just got in the way and those little email reminders to take action each day just ended up being filed away…but I was determined to keep going this time around. Feeling inspired, I bought Julia’s book and 100 Day Goal journal too.

The HIPPO Theory

Julia explained that 100 days is the perfect amount of time for our brains to take action. But the goal needs to be something really big, and something you have been continuously putting off for another day.

Julia explained that your goal needs to apply to the ‘HIPPO’ theory –

• H – Hard to achieve (If it was easy, then we’d simply do it!)
• I – Important to me (Don’t worry about what other people think.)
• P – Persistent nag (That little voice that keeps saying you should really do this and this…)
• P – Priority (Currently, it isn’t a priority – but it should be!)
• O – Out of the Ordinary (A goal that is beyond anything you’ve done before.)

The HIPPO Theory and Your Content Marketing Strategy

If writing isn’t your strongest skill, then your content marketing strategy might come under the ‘HIPPO goal’ heading. Putting it all together can be very overwhelming and it’s easy to second guess yourself and continue to procrastinate when ‘Impostor Syndrome’ kicks in.

Your goal could relate to writing your web copy (finally!), establishing a regular blog, preparing a monthly e-newsletter, or writing a book. Or, you might have a personal goal like me, such as de-cluttering your home…

You just have to start somewhere. So set yourself that goal and get ready to achieve it! Feel free to share your goal in the Comments section below. I’d love to hear about it!

Julia’s Top Tip for Setting Your Goal

An amazing tip Julia provided was to set yourself a goal and then add another two options. So you decide upon:

1. Your Big Goal = A Good Goal (Feel that satisfied glow.)
2. A 10% Bigger Goal = A Great Goal (Pop open the bubbly!)
3. A 30% Bigger Goal = An Awesome Goal (Yes! The moon is within my reach – I can do anything!)

For example, your Big Goal could be writing all of the copy for all of your web pages and having it all edited and proof-read. Your Great Goal could be writing all the copy, having it all edited and proofread, AND getting your website design organised and launching your website! Your Awesome Goal could be all of the above PLUS having two blogs written and your first e-newsletter ready to send out.

While Julia admitted that you may feel a bit disappointed if you don’t reach your Awesome Goal, by at least putting it out there, you are more likely to achieve your Great Goal!

Brainstorm 150 Micro-Actions

Before tacking Day One, you need to compile your to-do list, A.K.A. micro-actions. But Julia suggested writing down 150 micro-actions, not just 100, as you are likely to come up with your best ideas around the 80 mark of your brainstorming! (I look forward to putting this to the test!) You want to make the 100 Day Goal really easy for yourself, especially if you plan to get up early to achieve your daily goals (which Julia recommends).

So have all of your micro-actions planned out prior to starting the challenge and decide the night before which goal/s you’re going to focus on the next day.

Where do I sign up?

If you’re feeling inspired and ready to take action, I highly recommend heading to the 100 Day Goal Challenge link and sign up for the FREE challenge starting on 1 May 2018.

Need help with your content marketing in the mean time?

Then contact me today! I’d love to help you kick those content marketing goals! There are a few options available:

• If you live in Sydney and need any help with putting together your web copy, I’d love to see you at my upcoming workshop – ‘Write Your Web Copy, Right!’ on Tuesday 27 February in Castle Hill. It’s only $69 for the two-hour hands-on workshop, and you’ll walk away ready to tackle your web copy!
• Sydney-siders can also contact me regarding my new monthly ‘Write Mind’ mastermind sessions. Join a small group of like-minded small business owners each month and talk about your content marketing concerns, provide and request feedback, learn something new, and be kept accountable.
• Contact me to arrange a one-on-one consultation (face to face or Skype), where we can discuss your content marketing goals and decide upon an action plan. I can also review any current projects underway and provide feedback.

I look forward to helping you to write it, right!

Leanne