Let’s talk about the key to success in 2026 (yes, there is one): having GOALS. Big scary goals, small manageable goals, and all the goals in between. I have structured a program, Summit Vision System, that focuses on how to set goals, making them actionable, and, most importantly, sticking with them.

The first reason you need goals is accountability. I’m here to help you stay on target and become the person you want to be. The Summit Vision System creates, you got it, systems! that will stay intact long after I’m gone. From coaching you. Not the planet. My goal for every client is to give them the tools so they no longer need me!

We’re going to take this step by step, backwards. Walking you through how to create your vision and how to attain it.

How to Set Goals for Years One through Five

What are you doing to be doing in five years? What an insane question, right? WHOS TO SAY! Really, though. That is a lofty goal, so for this one, we’re going to focus on who you want to be and build the goals off of that vision.

Seriously. Stop reading for 60 seconds, take a breath, who do you want to be? What do you want to be doing? What does that look like? After you do the internal work, we can set the outcome goal!

You want a multi-6-figure elopement business. What does a person who has this business do every day? When you work backward from the results you want, you identify the type of person who could get those results and implement your own strategies to be that person.

This should not be business-oriented only. This is about the person you want to be and how to balance that with your life. If you have kids or parents to care for, a high social life you love, or pets you love spoiling, all of that needs to be taken into consideration.

Here’s my vision: I’m the CEO of my company, always working on my high-priority tasks first thing each day. I outsource tasks that I must to free up my time. My creativity and mind are my brilliance, so I should build a healthy, balanced life to step into my genius and prioritize my relationships. I have a black belt in boundaries.

Your turn! Write that shit down and tape it to your wall. Seriously. 

How to Set Goals by Using Quarterly Rocks

Quarterly Rocks are important to plan for the entire year, since elopements and weddings are seasonal. We have seen an increase in winter weddings lately, but the season as a whole still remains true. Your goal cannot be book six couples a quarter. You’re going to be totally high for some quarters and fall short in others. Let’s make your rocks match your reality and create systems that get you there!

Write out all four quarterly rocks at once. Q1: reach out to 20 couples; Q2: reach out to 10. Q3, reach out to 10. Q4, reach out to 15. This is the system. You reach out to X couples, and Y of them book, which gets you to your goal.

You have to adjust per quarter because you’re not going to be sitting around reaching out to clients from April to September. You’re going to be out in the field taking care of your current couples! The trend is also to expect a lull in the holiday season, where people put planning on the back burner and circle back in the new year, so in the wedding industry, you really need to start strong right out the gate and maintain.

Summit Vision System

The SYSTEM includes 4-5 tangible, trackable metrics. The last thing you need is to be stressed because you’re not meeting your unrealistic goal. Girl, no. We’re going to set realistic, attainable goals that make you feel good! Q4 will be somewhere in between. What are 5 good personal goals? Make sure you add those too! Again, it’s about what makes you thrive as a person, and who you are is what will set your business apart. 

A great metric to track for the quarterly rocks is reviews! It’s not about getting couples in the door; it’s about creating an amazing experience for them and encouraging them to share that with their friends, family, and strangers on the internet. Google Reviews matter! Once again, you shouldn’t expect an even number every quarter, so when you practice goal setting, look at the year as a whole.

Monthly Check In

I low-key loooooove the monthly check-in. Make this SUPER intentional. Take yourself out to breakfast. Bring your laptop, post up for a few hours with a cinnamon coffee and a fat stack of pancakes. Other businesses have team appreciation breakfasts, so you’d best be having one yourself. Also, this is a business write-off. So splurge on the cinnamon roll.

During the monthly check-in, review your quarterly rock and see where you’re at. Is there anything that needs your attention? What actionable steps can you take to ensure you reach those? 

Take it a step further and list out five priorities for the week. If you’re looking at the whole month of tasks, it can be overwhelming. Put everything down on one piece of paper, then break down the week at hand and hide the master list until Sunday. There is no point in stressin’ about things NEXT week! We’re gonna knock it out of the park next week and worry about next week, well, next week.

How to Set Goals by Using a Daily Schedule

I’ll live and die by a daily schedule. Especially as an elopement photographer, it’s so easy to fall out of this. You’re on a flight, in a hotel, out shooting all day. Don’t throw your schedule out because your travelling. It’s not going to look the same, but we really want to be accountable. You can still make your bed. Still do ten jumping jacks. You can still schedule your Instagram posts. 

Build Habits that STICK – 16 Things to Know

At home, this is when you kick your daily schedule into high gear! I break down my daily schedule here.

Organizing your day into chunks is the first step in how to set goals. Then you can break it down into smaller increments. Always leave some flexibility because shit happens, and your schedule is meant to be your guide, not your noose.

Rise and SHINE!

My recommendation is to start the morning slowly. Get your brain muscles loosened up!

I call it a Rise Ritual. This is where I wake up, get kisses from my dogs, make some morning tea, write down 10 ideas for my day, and journal morning pages. The morning pages are 3 pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing. If you haven’t read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, it is pretty intense but has a lot of great ideas for creatives. What I’m not doing? Checking my phone. No emails are opened, I have no idea who’s sliding into my DMs. There will be time for that later in the day. Right now, it’s about that morning bliss.

Three Hour Creative Block. This is where I work on big, creative projects. I am editing client photos, working on my website, and building up my coaching courses. I am designing the hell out of a two-day elopement! This is where I am putting all the beautiful ideas into tangibles. If you have a podcast, this is a great time to map out your episodes! 

I will add a note here that I am not spending three hours in the same position. I’m sure to schedule a little break every hour and a half while working in longer chunks. I use a timer on my phone that plays a gentle chime to remind me to get up for 5 minutes and reset.

I get outside, get some shit done, and then I spend a few hours in the afternoon doing admin.

Admin and GTFO

2 Hours of Admin Time. This time slot is filled with consultation calls, email responses, and DM checks. This is for me to connect with my sweet, sweet couples. Guess what? They didn’t care that I didn’t respond to their email at 5 AM. Didn’t even notice! I also insist that you Automate Your Elopement Business. If you do not, this 2-hour chunk could EASILY take up to 4 hours. Automation isn’t just for my elopement babes, LMR Consulting also shares it as one of their tips for ALL BUSINESS. No one is going to judge you for not personally replying to the email.

15 Minutes Goodbye

Finally, goodbye, farewell, to you, my friend. I’ll do a next-day roundup. Make sure you leave everything in order for the next day, so you can shut down your work brain. Take a quick 15-minute refresh where you set tasks for the next day. Schedule emails to go out for the next morning. It’s important to know exactly where you are leaving off so you know where to pick it all up again. When you leave things in disarray, you are forcing yourself to untangle them the next day. Clarity is an important part of keeping your sanity as a business owner. 

Clear off your desk, and click the little “shut down” button on your computer. DO NOT COME BACK TO WORK! It will be waiting for you. Say a little goodnight to the electronics, and peace out to enjoy the rest of your day!”

Is The Summit Vision System for You?

What you don’t see in how we set goals in 2026? A 9-5 routine. You’re not a 9-5, so don’t act like it. The Summit Vision System is tailored for badass businesswomen like you! You’re not putting in 40 hours a week. Some weeks will be less. Some weeks, you’ll spend 10 hours on a Saturday shooting a wedding. Time is never the goal; productivity and vision are!

You’re already at the top of the mountain. What do you want to see? Who do you want to be? This truest and most beautiful VISION for yourself can be vast, far-reaching, BIG AF! We’ll go over how to set goals for beginners and maintain them so you become advanced!

In my Summit Vision System, we break this down further and give guideposts so you know EXACTLY what you’re looking for. No guessing! I’ll provide examples of quarterly rocks to see what works best for your business and who YOU want to be. Included is a workbook so you can revisit this and track your progress! 

Who runs the world? YOU! Now go out there and SUMMIT your goals!

Coaching for elopement photographers