Goal Setting

June GrowthCLUB: A Day of Planning, Sales and Business Growth

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Yesterday I had the pleasure of hosting our June GrowthCLUB workshop, and once again I was reminded how valuable it is when business owners take the time to step away from the day to day and work on their business rather than just in it.

The focus for this quarter’s workshop was Sales and Planning, two areas that have an enormous impact on business performance. Throughout the day we explored sales processes, objection handling, goal setting and strategic planning for the months ahead.

One of the highlights for me is always the discussion that happens around the room. Business owners from different industries sharing ideas, challenges and solutions. Often the best breakthroughs come from hearing a different perspective or learning how someone else has tackled a similar challenge.

The Hot Seat sessions were particularly valuable, with participants openly discussing their biggest business challenges and receiving feedback and ideas from other business owners. It’s amazing how much knowledge exists within a room full of people who are all committed to growing and improving their businesses.

We also spent time reviewing goals, measuring progress and creating practical action plans for the next quarter. Having a plan is one thing. Having clear actions and accountability is what turns plans into results.

Of course, no GrowthCLUB would be complete without great conversations over lunch and the opportunity to connect with other like minded business owners who understand the challenges and opportunities that come with running a business.

If you’ve never attended a GrowthCLUB workshop before, I’d encourage you to consider joining us at one of our upcoming events. These workshops are designed to help you gain clarity, build a practical plan and leave with actions you can implement immediately in your business.

The next workshops are already scheduled and I’d love to see you there. Sometimes taking just one day out of your business can create results that impact the next three months. Yesterday we saw the majority of goals set by participants at the previous GrowthCLUB had already been achieved!

Please reach out if you have any questions about my future GrowthCLUB workshops.

Thanks
Hugh Bowman

The Number One Thing You Need to Increase Your Income

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Many business owners tell me they want to increase their income.

The interesting thing is that when I start talking to them about their goals, I often discover they’re thinking too small.

In this short video, I explain why bigger income usually starts with bigger goals.

When we first discuss what someone wants from their business, the answers are often fairly modest. But as we dig deeper, we uncover the things they really want, whether that’s paying off the family home, buying an investment property, upgrading their lifestyle or creating greater financial security for their family.

What I’ve found is that the business owners who consistently grow their wealth have a clear vision of what they’re working towards.

Their goals give them a reason to grow their income, improve their business and create better financial outcomes.

In the video below, I share why your dreams and goals play such an important role in business growth and how having a bigger vision can help drive higher income and long-term wealth creation.

Take a few minutes to watch the video and ask yourself: Are your goals big enough?

Thanks

Hugh

The Process of Quarterly Planning for Small Business

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One of the most valuable exercises I encourage business owners to do is quarterly planning. Over the years, I’ve seen a clear pattern: the businesses that stop, review, and plan every 90 days consistently achieve more than those that simply keep pushing forward without a clear direction.

 

In this video, I walk through the quarterly planning process I use with my clients. It starts by reviewing the previous quarter, looking at both the wins and the challenges. Understanding what has worked well, and what hasn’t, gives you the clarity needed to make better decisions moving forward. From there, we look at the numbers because your results will always tell a story about where your business is heading.

Once you’ve reviewed the past, it’s time to reconnect with your longer-term goals and decide what needs to happen over the next quarter to move closer to them. One of the biggest mistakes I see business owners make is trying to achieve too much at once. Instead, I recommend focusing on a small number of meaningful goals and identifying the key actions required to make them happen.

Quarterly planning creates accountability, direction, and momentum. It helps you stop reacting to whatever comes your way and start proactively building the business you want. If you’re not currently planning every quarter, I’d encourage you to start. The clarity and focus it creates can have a significant impact on your results.

If you’d like help implementing a quarterly planning process in your business, feel free to get in touch. I’d be happy to have a chat.

Hugh Bowman
ActionCOACH Geelong

The Daily Disciplines Behind High Performance

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In this video, I share the daily disciplines I rely on to perform at my best. These are the habits that have made the biggest difference in my life and business, especially coming out of a period where things were not going well.

High performance is not about big breakthroughs. It is about consistently getting the fundamentals right.

The five areas I focus on are simple, but powerful. Looking after your body, strengthening your mindset and self-identity, having a clear vision for your future, setting meaningful goals, and staying connected with the people around you.

None of these are easy at first, but when you commit to them daily, they compound quickly.

Watch the video above and take note of which area you could improve first. That is usually where the biggest impact sits.

If you want help applying this in your business or building better structure around your goals, feel free to reach out.

Hugh Bowman
ActionCOACH Geelong

Fix the Evil To-Do List

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Let’s talk about the evil to-do list — you know the one. It’s long, overwhelming, and somehow never seems to get shorter. You tick off a few things, but the list keeps growing and you don’t feel like you’re actually achieving anything meaningful. Sound familiar?

This blog is inspired by a client (you know who you are, Adrian!) who told me they’d had a task on their to-do list for over a month — and still hadn’t done it.

Here’s the thing: if you get really effective at managing your to-do list, you can boost your productivity by up to 25%. That’s huge. I’ve studied this topic a lot, read plenty of books, and people often ask how I get so much done. So today, I’m sharing some of the most powerful strategies I use and teach my clients.

Key Principles for Smarter To-Do Lists:

✅ There’s always time for the most important things

This is a mindset shift. Yes, your list will always be too long. You’ll never get everything done — but you can always make time for the most important things. When I catch myself saying “I don’t have enough time,” I know it’s a signal that something needs to change.

✅ Set Quarterly Goals

A powerful to-do list starts with knowing your bigger-picture goals. When you have a quarterly focus, your daily and weekly lists become purposeful steps that lead you forward.

✅ Use the 80/20 Rule

Also known as the Pareto Principle — 80% of your results will come from 20% of your tasks. So focus on the few high-impact actions that really move the needle. In most roles, there are 6–12 key responsibilities, but usually only 3 of those generate most of the value.

✅ Create Chunks of Time

You can’t do meaningful work in scattered 5-minute gaps. I sit down with my team every week to block out focused chunks of time for high-priority activities — like recording videos or planning campaigns. Make sure your calendar reflects your priorities.

✅ Protect Your Golden Hours

For me, my most productive window is between 10am and 4pm. During that time, I avoid low-value tasks like errands or long lunches. Instead, I focus on the work that matters most. Find your golden hours and guard them fiercely.

 

The Daily To-Do List System

Here’s how I work with my lists:

  1. Create your list the night before.
    This gives your subconscious time to start solving problems and mentally prepare.
  2. Start with a weekly list.
    I do mine every Sunday (or sometimes Friday), outlining everything that needs to be done that week.
  3. Then create your daily list.
    Pull items from your weekly list and focus only on what needs to be done that day.

Example daily list:

  • Record video
  • Advertise office
  • Design a bonus
  • Call the ATO
  • Make a sales call
  • Check domain info
  1. Categorise tasks with A, B, C, or D:
    • A = Must Do
    • B = Should Do
    • C = Nice to Do
    • D = Delegate or Delete

Prioritise the A-tasks and don’t let the day finish without tackling them.

  1. Handwritten is powerful.
    You can use your phone or apps, but for many people (myself included), writing by hand reinforces focus and commitment.
  2. Throw out the list at day’s end.
    Start fresh each day with a clean, intentional list.

 

Final Thoughts

Becoming a master of your to-do list won’t happen overnight. It’s not a tick-the-box skill — it’s a mindset and a habit that grows over time. No matter what stage of business you’re in, improving how you manage your time is one of the most valuable things you can do.

Focus on progress, not perfection — and start today by fixing that evil to-do list.