The Vision Leads Nowhere Without a Plan
From Vision to Reality: The Incremental Approach to Goal Setting
January 1, 2026
Achieving goals rarely happens in a single, dramatic moment. Instead, it's an incremental process—small, consistent efforts that add up over time. As the year ends, many people engage in the traditional practice of setting annual goals. However, high achievers approach goal-setting as an ongoing process, consistently evaluating their progress and refining their objectives. For them, reviewing goals weekly, or even daily, is a cornerstone of success.
The Vision
The process begins by you stating what your vision is for you. The vision covers family, personal, and career areas.
A career vision doesn't always have to focus on a specific outcome. For example, a goal like "I want to be in the C-Suite by my early 30s" is very outcome-driven. "I want to make a difference" is too general. Instead, you could aim for something with both a broader brush and a general focus at the same time, like "I want to be known for helping clients grow their businesses and providing excellent customer service."
Too Specific: "I want to be in the C-Suite by my early 30s"
Too Vague: "I want to make a difference"
Just Right: "I want to be known for helping clients grow their businesses and providing excellent customer service"
Building goals around that kind of vision can actually improve your chances of reaching the C-Suite and making a difference. For instance, you will need an action plan that includes deeply learning your craft, finding a mentor, learning how to navigate office politics, or even moving to a different company where your vision is more achievable.
The Power of a Broader Vision
Having a broader vision helps you develop a wider range of skills and opens more doors. Instead of focusing on just one title, you're focusing on building a reputation as a caring expert and creating impact—things that will move your career forward no matter where you end up.
Delivering the Vision with Tangible Results
Using regular habits such as weekly and evening reviews is a proven method for continuous evaluation and staying focused. Here are some approaches that you can plug into your process.
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Define goals and make them measurable. A vague goal like "getting more projects" isn't actionable. Instead, a focused goal is "Help six clients solve major issues by November 30." An action plan comes out of this goal, but you'll know on November 30 whether you've been successful or not.
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Break larger goals into smaller tasks. WRITE IT DOWN!! Smaller steps can provide not only a specific action plan, but provides quick wins and mini-success stories for the journey.
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Set deadlines and milestones. The November 30 goal needs a regular milestone, i.e. the chances of landing 6 projects in November, while a possibility, probably is not always feasible. This goal begs for a weekly evaluation.
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Your goals feed your overall vision. You need to be able to make mid-course corrections as needed to stay on the vision you've set if conditions on the ground change.
By adopting these practices, goal-setting becomes a dynamic habit that propels you toward success, one deliberate step at a time.
The material in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal or accounting advice provided by Utility Accounting & Rates Specialists, LLC. You should seek formal advice on this topic from your accounting or legal advisor.