How To Support Your Vision With Milestone Markers

Do you enjoy going on long road trips?  Does your job entail traveling alone for lengthy periods? How do you make the trip seem less daunting?

I used to enjoy long road trips but don’t find them as exciting as before.  I’d rather get on a plane, if possible, and arrive at my destination in a fraction of the time.

When I do go on a long trip of over 75 miles, I like to break it up.  If the route is familiar, I assign a particular milestone to specific towns.  As we arrive at those milestones, I do a mental check-off and the end result is that the journey seems shorter.

Growing up in Jamaica, you saw milestones or mileposts everywhere. They were appropriately named milestones because they were constructed of concrete stone. There may have been mileposts every mile on some routes and every 10 miles on others. They’re no longer as common there as new roads and highways have been constructed.  Plus the system of measurement has changed. I hardly ever see milestones here in Florida and discovered that many young persons have never seen a real milestone or milepost on the side of the road. Of course, we now have signs that hang across our highways to keep us on track.

What is a Milestone?

Wikipedia states that milestones “…provide reference points along the road. This can be used to reassure travelers that the proper path is being followed, and to indicate either distance traveled or the remaining distance to a destination.”

Did you ever think that milestones could be valuable to your business?

Starting Point and Destination: Every journey has a starting point and unless you’re the type of adventurous traveler who stops anywhere your mind tells you to, you will have a destination in mind and a planned route on how to get there.

As a small business owner or entrepreneur, you must have a plan for your business. A basic Business Plan that outlines your mission and your vision, your purpose, and values, who your ideal clients are, how you will serve them…and your destination…your end goal.

How you deal with the detours and blocks that arise in your business will determine if you forge ahead with your goal or if you go out of business.

Your Road Map: Many people like to have a physical roadmap, even if their car is equipped with a GPS.  You roadmap would be a document that includes your Vision, as well as the short-term and long-term goals. On a long journey, you may have a route mapped out, but along the way, you encounter a blockade or an unexpected barrier so that you have to make a detour. The same is true of your journey as a business owner. How you deal with the detours and blocks that arise in your business will determine if you forge ahead with your goal or if you go out of business. This is where your Purpose or Why will play a significant role, as it is what will keep you going when unexpected negative situations arise.

Milestones: The Milestones in your business are the steps that will take you to your goal. Just as I’ve associated certain towns with milestone numbers so I know that I’m getting closer to my destination, you need written steps to lead you to your ultimate goal. Under each of those larger steps would be a breakdown of the smaller steps that support each milestone. These milestones are the steps that what will let you know if you’re keeping on track to take you to your destination…your Vision.

Your Destination – Your Vision: Your destination is the finish line that allows you to live the dream that you have for yourself and your business. Keep in mind that your destination or goal can also have different levels of achievement. For example, a Solopreneur may have a goal of building a consulting business with 25 regular clients and an income of $150,000 per year. What if you achieved the goal of 25 clients but your income has not reached $150,000? You’d have to devise a new action plan with new milestones to arrive at this goal. Psychology Today makes the point that as you plan your Vision, it should be energizing to you. This is valuable as that energy is what will give you the drive to keep moving forward to your destination.

Remember that a goal is just a dream if you fail to write it down. Do your milestones support your destination? Do you have a clear destination or vision for your business with goals that support your vision?

My goal is to support you in achieving the results you desire for your life and business. It starts with helping you get clear of what you want and what’s preventing you from getting it.  I offer a complimentary, no obligation “Double Your Results” coaching session and invite you to go ahead and select a time that’s convenient to you when we can have a conversation to support your goal.