This week on Let’s Talk Our Experts, we ask: What if you could map out your business’s future without the stress and overwhelm that often comes with long-term planning? It’s not just a pipe dream. There are practical strategies you can use to break down those big goals into manageable steps, making the journey to success far less intimidating
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Donny Walford, Founder and Managing Director, Behind Closed Doors
“Having an ambitious five-year goal is fantastic, but long-term success isn’t about giant leaps—it’s built through small, consistent steps.
“The key? Reverse-engineer your goals. Define what success looks like, then break it down into quarterly milestones, weekly priorities, and daily actions.
“Too many people get stuck waiting for the ‘right’ approach—just start. Forward momentum, even if it’s imperfect, is what drives real progress.
“The best leaders I know don’t juggle 20 competing priorities. They focus on three. They act with purpose. And they surround themselves with people who challenge and support them.
“Big goals can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to be. Start small, stay consistent, and keep moving forward. The results will follow.”
Kumar Mitra, Managing Director and Regional General Manager, CAP & ANZ, Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group
“Setting long-term business goals doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Breaking them into meaningful milestones and maintaining flexibility is key to sustained success.
“At Lenovo, we approach success by balancing structure with adaptability. Three principles guide our approach:
- Prioritisation with Impact – Focus on what drives the greatest business and customer value. With limited resources, clear priorities ensure maximum impact
- Adaptability in Action – Even the best strategies must evolve. Market dynamics, technological advancements, and shifting customer needs demand agility in execution
- Customer-First Decision Making – Ambitious goals must always tie back to delivering real value. Continually asking, “How does this benefit our customers?” keeps strategy aligned with business outcomes.
“By structuring goals around these principles, businesses can navigate complexity with confidence—staying ambitious while keeping execution practical and focused.”
Del Parsons, Founder, Del Parsons Coaching
“Setting long-term business goals can feel overwhelming when day-to-day tasks take center stage. Setting long term business goals means you have to anchor your strategy in a clear purpose and vision.
“When you’re armed with that clarity, you can break down your ambitious vision into purpose-driven yearly and quarterly priorities that are specifically focused to move you towards achieving your vision.
“Start reverse engineering your strategy by creating actionable, quarterly goals with clearly defined milestones.
“This approach not only helps you maintain focus but also ensures steady progress without the frustration of juggling too many tactical details and getting distracted with shiny new things.”
Matt Loop, VP and Head of Asia, Rippling
“Setting long-term business goals can feel overwhelming, especially when day-to-day operations demand so much attention. The key is to create space for strategic thinking by reducing the time spent on administrative tasks.
“For many small business leaders, administrative tasks can be a huge burden and time drain, especially for those without a dedicated HR and Finance team. Managing payroll, staff, and back-office functions demand significant attention, pulling focus away from high-level growth strategies. This is where automation can make a real difference.
“When businesses automate aspects of their operations, they’re able to shift their focus to strategic decision-making. For example, workforce management software can help a business streamline and automate tasks, from hiring and payroll processing to compliance and performance management. Crucially, automation can also provide the real-time insights needed to make smarter, long-term decisions. A business that can see workforce trends, cost structures, and compliance risks at a glance is in a stronger position to plan ahead.
“Automation isn’t just about saving time, it’s about creating the capacity to plan smarter and execute long-term strategies with confidence. Leaders who embrace the right tools can focus on what really matters: growing their business and driving meaningful impact.”
Fleur Allen, Success Coach, Ask Fleur
“Here’s a simple approach to stay focused and avoid overwhelm.
“Start with a clear vision that aligns with your values, then break it down into actionable steps. When your goals reflect your core values, it’s easier to stay committed over the long term.
“I recommend a 90-day framework, breaking goals into manageable chunks. This keeps you adaptable and motivated while allowing for regular reassessment. Each 90-day block is a period of change where you can make adjustments, yet it avoids overwhelm because it isn’t set in the distant future.
“Accountability is key. A mastermind group, mentor, or coach keeps you on track and helps you navigate challenges. Celebrating progress is also vital. Acknowledge every step forward. Small wins build momentum and long-term success.
“By aligning goals with values, simplifying goal-setting, and maintaining accountability, business professionals can achieve sustainable success without feeling overwhelmed.”
David Price, CEO at Peninsula Australia and New Zealand
“Setting long-term business goals can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is breaking down those big aspirations into manageable steps. Start by defining your overall vision – where do you want your business to be in, say, five years? Then, translate that vision into smaller, achievable short-term goals. Think of these as stepping stones to the bigger picture.
“More importantly, make your goals SMART. It helps you add structure and clarity. Instead of a vague goal like “increase sales,” aim for “increase online sales by 15% in the next quarter.” You can also divide these SMART goals into milestones – smaller checkpoints that mark progress. This not only helps keep you accountable but keeps the momentum, making the long-term journey less intimidating.
“Staying motivated along the way is crucial too. A great way to maintain it is by celebrating small wins and reinforcing positive habits. Always try and visualize your success and remind yourself why these goals are important to you and your business. Regularly review your progress, adjust your course if needed, and don’t be afraid to seek support from mentors or other business owners.
“Remember, long-term success is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Tim Kroeger, Luxury Travel & Adventure Specialist at Universal Traveller
“Setting long-term business goals can feel overwhelming. The key is to break them down into clear, manageable steps.
“Start by defining where you want your business to be in 3, 5, or 10 years. Whether expanding into new markets, increasing revenue, or building a strong brand presence, ensure your goals are ambitious yet realistic.
“Once you have defined your long-term goals, break them down into smaller, actionable steps, such as quarterly or yearly targets. Smaller steps will help you stay focused and track progress without feeling overwhelmed by your long-term goals. Instead of stressing over achieving everything at once, focus on the next step and celebrate small wins.”
Emma Lagerlow, Wealth & Mindset Coach, Author of Worthy & Wealthy
“The easiest way to set long-term business goals without feeling overwhelmed is to align them with your values and purpose. When your goals are rooted in who you truly are and what you really want, they become more than just targets—they become stepping stones toward a fulfilling life. Instead of setting rigid, achievement-focused goals, start by asking: What kind of life do I want to create? Then, set business goals that support that vision. Break them down into small, actionable steps, and don’t forget to prioritise your self-care and well-being along the way. Sustainable success comes from balance—when you feel good, you perform at your best. This approach not only prevents burnout but also ensures that every milestone moves you closer to success that feels meaningful—both professionally and personally.”
Ash Brown, Founder & CEO, Empiraa
“Breaking down big goals into smaller, actionable steps is the key to business success, without feeling like you’re pulling your hair out. You need to start with a clear vision – know where you want to go and make an action plan of how you’re going to get there.
“That starts with 3 – 6 big multi-year goals. I suggest structuring these around areas of focus in your business like: growth, operations, finance, etc so you’re not juggling everything at once.
“Then comes the fun part. Break down those goals into smaller, achievable objectives that you can assign to your teams. A task shared is a task halved and that applies to your business goals too! Your people are all working towards a common objective, so directly aligning their KPIs with your topline business goals means you are all heading in the same direction, increasing your impact for success and decreasing the stress of getting there.”
Beau Bertoli, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Prospa
“Setting long-term business goals can feel overwhelming, especially when day-to-day obstacles seem never-ending. With Prospa finding that almost half of small business owners are experiencing increased emotional stress due to things like rising costs, here are some tips to help SMBs plan ahead without burning out:
- Break down goals: Divide long-term objectives into smaller, achievable steps. This approach will make progress feel more manageable and less daunting.
- Prioritise mental wellbeing: Putting your wellbeing first is critical as burnout makes it harder to make sound long-term decisions. Taking regular breaks, implementing boundaries and leaning on a support network are some methods that can help keep burnout at bay.
- Seek external support: Small business owners shouldn’t be afraid to seek external support, whether from mentors, financial advisors or alternative lenders who understand the ups and downs of running a small business.
“Long-term success isn’t about having everything figured out at once, but instead staying nimble, focused, and looking after yourself along the way.”
Michelle Kvello, Director, Lantern Partners
“What’s the easiest way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
“Setting long term goals, particularly ambitious ones can feel overwhelming. There’s a reason for the Bill Gates quote ‘Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.’
“The greatest progress is made with small steps with clear parameters. So when setting long term goals be as ambitious as you can and then break it down into the steps that form your roadmap to achieving them.
“The most specific you can make those steps (time based, objectively measurable) the easier it will be to track your progress and those smaller steps will feel far less overwhelming than your long term goal.”
James McFall, Founder & Managing Director, Yield Financial Planning
“As a business owner that specialises in helping business owner clients, I know that setting long-term business goals can feel overwhelming. The key is to take a strategic approach that aligns with your financial realities.
“Start by defining a clear business vision. Where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? Whether it’s expanding into new markets or becoming a local leader, your vision serves as the foundation for your goals. From there, break it down into milestones—such as annual revenue targets or strategies to expand customer offerings, as this will make progress more quantifiable and achievable.
“Concurrently assess your current financial position. Understanding cash flow, debt levels, and investment opportunities ensures your goals are realistic and actionable. Tools like financial forecasting can help you anticipate risks and model the impact of major decisions, such as expanding operations or hiring new talent.
“Once in place, make time for regular reviews. Adjusting your goals as circumstances change keeps them relevant and achievable. Long-term success isn’t about tackling everything at once, it’s about focusing on one step at a time and staying flexible as you grow.”
Michelle Broadbent, Lead Facilitator, Accountability Circle
“The easiest way to set long-term business goals without getting overwhelmed is to break them down into manageable, actionable steps—and to have accountability to keep you on track.
“Start by defining what success looks like for you—whether it’s scaling your business, creating more financial stability, or reclaiming your time. Then, work backwards. What needs to happen in the next 12 months, six months, or even this quarter to move you towards that goal? Capture these steps somewhere (I love Asana) with deadlines attached and these steps become your weekly or daily To Dos.
“Your secret weapon to ultimately making these goals happen is accountability. It’s easy to set goals, but following through is where most people get stuck. That’s why my Accountability Circles exist—to provide structure, support, and a space where women business owners can commit to their goals and actually achieve them.
“Goals don’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right approach—and the right people holding you accountable—you’ll build momentum and create real, lasting success.”
Benjamin Camerota, Owner, MVP Visuals
“The easiest way I’ve found to set long-term business goals and bypass the potential anxiety is to break that larger goal into manageable steps.
“For example, my business creates 90-day goals (we call them “Rocks”) at the beginning of each quarter. And each of these “Rocks” are accompanied by milestones. Milestones represent small steps we take on a weekly basis to achieve our goals.
“I perform a similar process with my daily planner. I’ve got weekly goals that I set up, followed by a list of “action” items each day that I need to complete. This process allows me the ability to manage my day-to-day activities without feeling overwhelmed.”
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Our experts unveil the insider secrets to setting long-term business goals – the same strategies used by industry leaders Featured, Let’s Talk, business goal Dynamic Business
