The 5 Keys to Setting Successful Stretch Goals

In case you missed, I recently introduce the HOMI model to my team to help us set and achieve some incredible stretch goals. I’ll give you a quick recap.

Here’s the HOMI model: 

• Habits: Breaking limiting habits 
• Objectives: Setting clear end goals 
• Motivation: Bringing your team along 
• Inspiration: Leading with confidence 

 

This week, I want to talk about the conversation I had with Brett Warren about stretch goals. He had some great insight into how we can better understand when stretch goals are most effective and how to make the most of them. 

 

Here are the four keys to successfully setting stretch targets: 

1.. Know the environment 

Before setting a strecth goal, it’s important to understand both the macro and micro environment of your team and your business. You probably don’t want to set a stretch goal after you’ve just been through a big loss. You need to be sure the business is operating at its very best, which means everyone on your team has everything they need to thrive. 

 

2. Think outside the box 

Setting a stretch goal doesn’t have to just be a bigger number than the original. Don’t be afraid of a little creativity. It actually tends to work best when you can push people outside of their comfort zone. As we know, comfort is the killer of real succes because it typically means complacency. No one hits their stretch goals when they’re comfortable and complacent. 

 

3. Quality over quantity 

When it comes to setting stretch goals, don’t expect to achieve them all. In fact, choosing specific stretch goals that will have a high impact will be more effective, even if they are harder to achieve, than setting a bunch of arbitrary goals for the sake of “aiming higher.” 

 

4. Break them down into bite-size 

Set the long-term goal and work backwards. Finding ways to create small but important steps toward the stretch goal will help make it mroe achievable and give you a clear roadmap to get there. Bonus, even if you don’t hit that stretch goal, you’ll still be able to look at all the progress you made along the way! 

 

5. Re-calibrate as you go 

 

This is where those bite-size bits come in handy, because if you’re lagging behind one week, you can re-calibrate the next week to make up for it. Being flexible and understanding where you need to put in extra to make up for a loss is a key component to hitting those big goals. 

 

So the next time you catch yourself “day dreaming,” remember, you don’t have to keep those big dreams in your head! Be open to setting your own stretch goals and don’t be afraid of missing them. A missed stretch goal can even be a launch pad for the next target!