You Know Growth Comes from Fundamentals

1. Define What a Real Win Looks Like—for You

Most consultants set vague goals like “grow revenue,” “land bigger clients,” or “sell more retainers.”

That’s not a win. 

A real win is specific to you. It might be earning $40K a month in consulting fees from five clients. It could be signing three enterprise accounts with long-term potential. It might mean working fewer hours while maintaining your income.

Clarity matters.

It’s just as important to know what looks like a win but isn’t. A calendar full of discovery calls isn’t a win. An impressive brand name on your site that doesn’t pay you real money isn’t a win.

To make your win real, define two specific numbers.

First, your security number the baseline monthly revenue that makes you feel stable. It’s the number where your bills are covered, your stress is low, and you can make decisions without pressure.

Second, your freedom number the amount that unlocks real choice. With this, you can work only with the clients you want, take time off without hesitation, and invest in growth without second-guessing. Don’t guess. Be specific.

Define what each number means in your life. This isn’t about chasing more. It’s about reaching a level of enough and understanding what enough unlocks for you.

2. Build the Conditions for That Win

You don’t need more ideas. You need basic structure. Ask yourself what actions will make this goal inevitable. What are your cause and effect actions?

• What are the sales actions you need to take to drive the revenue you need and want??

• Is blocking time to reinvest in previous relationships a necessary step?

• Do you need to raise your rates and stop entertaining low-leverage work?

What capabilities, habits, and systems must be in place. What constraints need to be removed. These are key questions to drive you forward. If you don’t have a simple, straight forward answer to these questions it is unlikely you can achieve your goals.

Now the fun part: Ask who you need to become to hit this goal. This is the shift most people avoid. It’s not just a change in behavior. It’s a change in identity.

Maybe to get where you need to be and to become the person that deserves this win you need to become:

• The person who earns this win is consistent.

• They protect their calendar. They say no often.

• They show up for the plan even when they don’t feel like it.

• They are not reacting to the week, they are leading it.

This version of you already exists. You build into that identity by repeating the right actions until the habits become normal.

3. Define What Progress Looks Like So You Don’t Quit When It’s Hard

Growth doesn’t arrive all at once. It shows up in signals.

• You might notice your leads are higher quality.

• Your sales conversations are more focused.

• Your proposals get accepted faster and with fewer edits.

• You start getting referred without asking.

You need to see that progress clearly. Not just feel it. Make it visual.

Use a whiteboard, a wall calendar, sticky notes, or a simple tracker that shows you whether you’re doing the work.

One look should tell you if you’re on track. No analysis required. This eliminates the mental gymnastics that usually show up when things get hard. It keeps you honest when your energy dips. It turns vague momentum into visible progress. And it keeps you moving forward even when motivation is gone.