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Why Missing My Q3 Goals Was the Best Thing for My Business

If you’ve ever missed big goals and felt like throwing in the towel, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too, and let me tell you—missing my Q3 goals felt like a gut punch.

But in hindsight, it was the best thing that could’ve happened for my business. Why? Because it forced me to reflect, re-strategize, and make essential changes that set me up to crush it in Q4.

In this episode blog, I’ll share three lessons I learned from missing my Q3 goals and how they helped me pivot toward greater success. These aren’t just theoretical lessons—they’re straight from the experiences of Quarter 3, 2024.

1. Missing Goals Forces Reflection

The first and most valuable lesson from missing Q3 targets? It made me pause and reflect on why we didn’t hit those goals. Was it poor planning, lack of focus, or maybe setting the wrong targets altogether?

“By mid-August, I was spiraling. But instead of letting the panic take over, I stopped to ask: What’s going wrong, and how can we fix it? Reflection is the first step in making real change.” — Brandee Gaar

Key Takeaway: Missing a goal isn’t the end of the world, but it should prompt you to reflect.

What wasn’t working?

Were you too scattered or distracted?

Reflection gives you the clarity needed to make better decisions moving forward.

Action Steps:

• Set aside time to review why your goals weren’t met.
  
  
• Break down the roadblocks—whether they were in your processes, focus, or planning.
  
  
• Use what you learn to adjust your approach in the next quarter.
  
  

2. Failure Is a Goldmine of Data

When goals slip through your fingers, it’s easy to feel defeated. But here’s the thing—failure is just feedback. It’s data telling you what didn’t work, and that’s invaluable information for refining your business strategy.

“I set some arbitrary goals, like hitting 10,000 Instagram followers, which I later realized wasn’t actually moving the needle in our business.” — Brandee Gaar

Key Takeaway: Not all goals are created equal. Some goals—especially arbitrary ones—don’t push your business forward. The key is to focus on what really matters, and failure helps shine a light on those priorities.

Action Steps:

• Reassess your goals: Were they truly aligned with your business’s growth, or were they vanity metrics?
  
  
• Gather data from your missed goals—where did things fall short?
  
  
• Use that data to refine your strategy and make your next steps clearer and more effective.
  
  

3. Missed Goals Highlight Priorities

One of the most eye-opening lessons from missing goals is that it reveals where your real priorities should be.

“I was buried in backend work instead of focusing on what I do best—showing up in my marketing and being the face of my business. It took missing Q3 goals to realize where my time really needed to go.” — Brandee Gaar

Key Takeaway: Missing a goal often shows you where your time and energy are being misallocated. When you’re not hitting targets, it’s usually because you’re focusing on the wrong tasks. Use the missed goals as an opportunity to realign your daily activities with what truly drives business results.

Action Steps:

• Perform a time audit: Where are you spending the bulk of your time, and is it on high-impact activities?
  
  
• Delegate or outsource tasks that are taking up too much of your attention but not moving the needle.
  
  
• Re-align your focus to ensure you’re spending your time on tasks that generate the highest ROI for your business.
  
  

Bonus Insight: Outsourcing Is a Game-Changer

After reflecting on why we missed our Q3 goals, I made a pivotal decision—outsourcing tasks that were outside my zone of genius. I realized that taking everything on myself (or putting it all on our internal team) was the root cause of our struggles.

“By the time August rolled around, we knew we needed help. Outsourcing our sales was a game-changer—it allowed us to focus on what we do best and get the business back on track.” — Brandee Gaar

Key Takeaway: Don’t be afraid to outsource key tasks that are bogging you down. Whether it’s sales, marketing, or admin work, outsourcing allows you to focus on your strengths, which will ultimately drive better results.

Action Steps:

• Identify the areas in your business that are dragging you down or where you’re not performing at your best.
  
  
• Find opportunities to outsource or delegate those tasks to professionals who specialize in them.
  
  
• Track the impact of outsourcing to ensure you’re seeing the expected results and freeing up your time to focus on growth.
  
  

Before We Go

Missing my Q3 goals was tough, but it forced me to reflect, gather crucial data, and realign my priorities. It wasn’t the setback I thought it was—in fact, it set the stage for a stronger Q4 and beyond.

“It’s not about the missed goals; it’s about what you do next. That’s what determines your success.”

If you’ve missed goals in your business, don’t view it as a failure. Take it as a learning opportunity, reflect on what went wrong, and use that data to make smarter decisions moving forward. Sometimes, missing a goal is exactly what you need to push your business to the next level.

FAQs

1: What is the video Brandee talked about at the end of the episode?

Check out this episode on the exact steps to building your Dream Team: https://youtu.be/UWAkYSDhwoU?si=XdLQD2Q9ylP-tK4h

2. What should I do right after missing a business goal?

Start by reflecting on why the goal was missed. Was it a planning issue? A lack of focus? Once you understand what went wrong, use that information to adjust your strategy for the next quarter.

3. How can I avoid setting arbitrary goals?

Make sure your goals are directly tied to your business’s growth and success. Ask yourself: Does this goal push the business forward, or is it more of a vanity metric? If it’s the latter, it might be an arbitrary goal.

4. How do I know when it’s time to outsource?

If you’re overwhelmed and key tasks are falling through the cracks (like sales or marketing), it’s a clear sign you need to outsource. Delegating tasks to professionals can free you up to focus on high-impact activities.

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