Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.

- Mike Tyson, startup guru

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Okay, so he’s not a startup guru (that I know of) but this quote always reminds me of startup life.

Just one big punch in the mouth!

JK. JK. JK.

You make annual plans.

You set out metrics.

Then…the app crashes, your top customer wants to quit, fundraising takes longer than expected, and you can’t find engineers.

How do you follow through on your annual plans and goals despite normal startup chaos?

Here are 5 steps to ensure you achieve your annual goals!

You’ll be as motivated and focused in December as you are in January.

5 Strategies For Annual Plan Follow Through

1. Pick the right framework.

There’s 100 different options for annual planning.

(We shared 5 of our favorites last week.)

Choose a goal setting framework or philosophy that feels easy and effective for YOU.

Which framework are you most drawn to?

The best framework is one that resonates with your style and values.

2. Keep it top of mind.

Where will you see and feel your annual goals every day?

Ideally, you’re “touching” them by writing them, discussing them, updating metrics, or something that keeps them alive.

Static goals quickly become part of the scenery.

Top-of-Mind Ideas:

• Dashboard in your office (updated daily or weekly)
• Discuss in a daily check-in
• Include on your Einsenhower Matrix
• Set a daily intention in a gratitude journal
• Post-it note on your desk (rewrite daily)

3. Set up an accountability touch point.

At Rigor, we added a mid-quarter check-in for our strategic goals.

Why?

We would be preparing our end-of-quarter recaps and realize something totally fell off our radar. (It happened to everyone at one time or another!)

Having a preset meeting to discuss progress on long term goals is a great way to maintain focus.

• Schedule accountability touch points NOW. (Before you get punched in the mouth!)
• Include an “accountabil-a-buddy” or peer group. (We are way more likely to keep meetings with other humans than stick to empty calendar placeholders.)

4. Delegate this process to someone great at accountability.

Do you know accountability isn’t your strong suit? Do you get busy and have trouble following through?

Behold…

Potential Accountability Resources:

• Operations specialist - a COO, operations manager, or virtual assistant can schedule meetings, send reminders, and handle logistics. Ultimately the CEO is responsible for holding individuals accountable but having someone else on the details can make a huge difference.
• Executive coaches - lots of excellent options out there. Rising Tide offers a great QXR session and format for personal development.
• Teammate who loves it - maybe it’s not officially their job but they are Galvanizing or have Tenacity so it will be in their zone of genius

5. Be open to adjustments.

Twelve months can be a lifetime at a startup. What made sense in January may not be a priority in December.

Goals serve you.

Don’t mindlessly strive for goals that aren’t the best and highest use of your time because you “wrote it on the paper” in January.

(I am sooooo guilty of this. MUST…FOLLOW…THROUGH…)

If you haven’t made progress on your annual goals, why not?

• Are you working on something that’s more important?
• Are you getting sucked into low priority items?
• Do you not enjoy the work required for the goals?
• Did you need to trim to 1-2 goals instead of 5?

Be honest with yourself and course correct accordingly.

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What strategies help you and your company stick with your annual goals? Any tips or stories to share?

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