Now that we’ve entered a new year, and a new decade, I’ve read many, many blog posts about the goals people have set for their online career. I know some people get bored of these kind of posts (which is why I’ve listed my goals on a page, which I’ll keep updated each month – I haven’t quite finished writing down all of my January goals yet), but I personally find it fascinating to read what others have planned.
One thing I’ve really noticed is that so many people’s goals are purely based around a monetary figure, which doesn’t really work for me, and that they are purely about work.
It makes sense to write about our online goals, since many of us have internet marketing, rather than personal, blogs. However, I wanted to remind you in this post just how important it is to think of the bigger picture.
What Are You Working For?
It becomes all to easy to see work as an end in itself. I’m so proud when I make a sale, when I learn something new, just because it is a great achievement in itself. But I also need to take time to step back to think about why I got into this in the first place.
Why did I get into it? To achieve a level of freedom with comfort, to give me time to constantly learn, and to give me time and means to help others.
This is the ultimate picture, but within those goals I also have more specific aims – to spend time with friends (which often means needing to have the money to be able to travel to them), to take holidays in different countries, or to be able to pay off my overdraft.
Make Sure Your Goals Are Balanced
One of my biggest mistakes (if you really need to call it that) in 2009 was that I didn’t set a balance in my life. I don’t really see this as a failure, though, as I was just getting started in internet marketing. Hard work really is necessary when you’re starting out, and it also takes time to learn that you do need time off.
I read somewhere recently that you should make a list of all areas of your life – friends, family, personal growth, work, study and so on and really take time to think about which areas are lacking, and which are eating away at the time you could have spent on the rest.
I thought long and hard about this and there are a few areas that I really let slip – namely my passions, like music and reading/ writing for pleasure, as well as simply time to relax. It can be hard to even notice when things take a backseat in your life, but looking at your life through these categories is a great way to start.
Make Sure Your Business is Working for You
Lastly, I want to mention the fact that we need a business that works for us. We all get into internet marketing for different reasons, but they are usually reasons bigger than simply a career choice. They are lifestyle choices, wishes, goals and even morals that we want to live by.
Take a look at your work and ask yourself if it’s really working for you. The great thing about internet marketing is that it’s such a varied ‘career’ and that you can pick and choose what to take further. We all struggle in the beginning stages, but I’ve started to learn that I need to stop doing what other people are doing, what I think I should be doing, and simply do what works for me.
On the flip side, you could be making millions, but ask yourself if a monetary goal really means anything. I personally don’t give much weight to resolutions that are purely based on wishes like earning $x amount per month. Whilst certain goals need to be put into place, I certainly won’t be meeting monetary goals if it means forgetting my morals, my loved ones and my sanity!
My Goals for 2010
If you’re interested in taking a look at my goals for 2010 then take a look at my new goals page. I felt this could be a good place not only to list my goals, but also to list my achievements. I think this year, more than any time in my life, my goals are really geared towards my personal development, and I’m really excited about making new achievements.
~ Web Career Girl
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Forest (4)
Loren Jaslyn (4)
Des @ Affiliate P... (3)
Eric (3)
John (3)
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Twitter: lbogaerts
Says:
January 4th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Ruth,
You are right, it’s not all about business, but to be honest my business goals are the ones that will make me reach my ultimate goal: staying home with the kids forever, never having to work outside the home anymore. Without my business goals, I won’t reach my personal goal, so I never really thought about putting it on my list for 2010. Besides, that goal is one for every year, not only for this one. Sometimes goals are connected and you don’t stop to think to list them all separately.
Leslie
Leslie´s last blog ..Off For A Great Start This Year
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 4th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Very true Leslie, that is a fantastic goal to have. I think it depends what your goals are. Some of them I won’t list, but sometimes I honestly think I forget to take time off to do things e.g. play music, so I end up neglecting them. You could never forget yours though
Twitter: lbogaerts
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January 4th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Nope, I could’t, not even I wanted too. Those little brats make me think of them 24/7. They’re loud enough LOL
Leslie
Leslie´s last blog ..Off For A Great Start This Year
January 4th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
My long term goals remain the same as when I started out and aren’t really financially related to any great extent (even though I do have a figure in mind that I will need to ultimately achieve them). I may make a post to re-state my goals as it does help keep me focused, but I know what you mean, it’s almost as though a blog’s not complete without a New Year’s resolution post!
Des´s last blog ..Successful Squidoo Marketing #2
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 4th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Hi Des. I still like the goal posts on all the blogs, I am quite obsessive with all these goal-setting tips lol. It’s good to know what you need to make to achieve your life goals, I should probably clarify that I mean monetary goals that just seem to be picked out of thin air. I keep reading these insane goals lately and thinking ‘where did they get that figure from?!’ But we all have figures in mind that will help us spend less time working and more time living. I am definitely striving for that.
Twitter: lorenjaslyn
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January 5th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
I agree with you Ruth. You have to love what you do and know how you can work your business for you. I always knew that I wanted to work for myself to gain my ultimate goals of (basically freedom!), the freedom to go travel, spend more time with the kids and my husband and the freedom to enjoy life; but while finding something to do–I bumped into blogging and found that I really enjoy being able to create and use my mind. I think that is what was missing from my traditional job. There was too many restrictions set on me and after working so hard for so many hours a week, it seems that I was always the one putting myself last. Well–this year it will be different. Just wanted to add my two cents
Loren´s last blog ..Looking Back on 2009
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 5th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
I feel the same. In fact, I dare say I would even think the way I do about my personal life and things I want to achieve if I didn’t have the freedom that I do. I also found that blogging has also let me use my mind in ways I never even thought before. Great to hear about your goals, Loren
Twitter: sarabarrett
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January 5th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
Ruth, I agree with you on doing what works for you. Selling digital products has and will never be my strongest point. In fact, I straight up suck at it but I can sell physical products just based off of my own experiences with the products. Lynn Terry has 70% of her income coming from physical products and I really admire that. So it is essential to find what part of IM you enjoy and are decent at accomplishing.
We all know that everyone would love nothing more than to be their own boss, have freedom to vacation whenever they want without having to “call in” or just plain be accountable to someone one else and internet businesses definitely provides that opportunity.
I like that your goals are not all about money but about other areas in your life as well. Good luck with the vegetarian lifestyle. I just crave my chicken too much to be able to do that. lol
Sara´s last blog ..New Year And Moving Forward To Make It Big
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 5th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
Sara – That’s a really good example. Sometimes I used to get lost thinking I needed to do things the same as everyone else, but now I’m starting to get a feel for what I really like to do. I am enjoying doing things based around physical products too, actually.
Thanks for the good luck! My goals are a little all over the place. It is hard becoming a vegetarian. I do miss certain things (chicken – fried chicken – is top of the list) but I feel good about it and have actually discovered quite a few great new recipes actually!
Anyway I am still working very hard on my business goals, good luck with all of yours too.
Twitter: eblogtip
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January 6th, 2010 at 4:12 am
Yes, you are right, setting goals bigger than our work will push us in doing harder and harder to accomplish it. I learn from you and should have my separate page to track my goals progress. Thanks
Tinh@eblogtip.com´s last blog ..My Most Profitable Revenue Sharing Network in 2009 & Goals for 2010!
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 6th, 2010 at 11:08 am
Tinh- Thanks for visiting and leaving your comment. We are all different and have different ways of setting our goals, but I do think having that extra page will help keep me on track
Twitter: Static
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January 7th, 2010 at 1:47 am
Ruth, I can’t agree with you more on the balancing part. I feel like I spent the last decade setting goal after goal, but quickly forgetting them or… becoming overwhelmed by them. I’m really trying to be different, set realistic and balanced out goals so that I can hopefully meet them or even overachieve them. So far, I think I’m doing alright after the first week, but I’ve got another 51 more to go, so best luck to myself, and of course, to you with your goals too.
Static | ahnternet´s last blog ..5 Tips to Quickly Writing A Quality Post Part I
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 7th, 2010 at 8:27 am
Static – it’s great that the first week goes well, good for giving you a good feeling about the rest of the year isn’t it? Good luck with the rest of it! I feel like I’m off to a good start too
January 7th, 2010 at 2:48 am
I totally agree with you about freedom. That is also one of my main goals in life. Freedom pretty much fulfills everything I would like to have: time to be with friends and family, time and money to do the things I like and the means to have a stress free life.
Isaac Ben´s last blog ..5 things you can do to keep a peaceful atmosphere at work (and other places)
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 7th, 2010 at 8:27 am
Isaac – Thanks for commenting here for the first time
Very important goals, good luck with meeting all of them!
Twitter: frugalzeitgeist
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January 7th, 2010 at 8:20 am
Great post Ruth, this is one of the reasons I have not jumped on the bandwagon with a goals post.
I do have a monetary value I need to earn each day but also have lots of social goals and things I want to achieve.
Good luck with your goals this year.
Forest´s last blog ..Free Coffee Samples
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 7th, 2010 at 8:29 am
Forest – Thanks and good luck to you too! We all have to make money, but as long as we can remember why we’re doing it then we don’t get sucked into making money for money’s sake.
Twitter: goldenkoi
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January 20th, 2010 at 12:28 am
I think my comment disappeared into cyberspace … when I pressed submit comment I got a popup telling me that I had already submitted this comment !!!! So, here we go again
IMHO there is not such thing as a balanced life, the proverbial wheel of life will always have spokes of differing lengths and that is as it should be. At different times in our lives we need to give more attention to a certain segment of our life – in the early years we dedicate the majority of our time learning, then it is to earning a living and providing for our family and wanting well for them.
I think money is important and there are times we have to keep our eyes sharply on making a good income so that we can easily pay our bills and provide for our families. Money on and of itself is not the magic panacea to happiness, but lack of it sure creates a lot of undue stress.
best……………valentina
Valentina´s last blog ..Golden Nuggets for Your Blog Income
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 20th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Valentina – Sorry about that comment problem! Thanks for trying again. Yes you’re true about different areas being more present in our lives than others at times. I do wonder about this myself as I try to balance all areas – I’ll let you know if I ever achieve it
Can’t escape the fact that money is necessary for pretty much all of us – it helps me to work better if I remember just what I’m earning that money for.
Twitter: FamousBloggers
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January 24th, 2010 at 8:39 am
You remind me that Dreams sometimes come true and real when we work hard for it, the main problem is that we should think of the responsibility of this big goals!
Hesham @ FamousBloggers´s last blog ..Does Your Blog Have Personality?
Twitter: webcareergirl
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January 25th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Hesham – Thanks for visiting and you’re right. We all have different dreams but having them strongly in mind can make sure we’re always getting closer to achieving them.