How to set and achieve goals as a rideshare or delivery driver

Everything we do, inside and outside of our roles as rideshare and delivery drivers, is more successful when we are following a plan. It’s so easy to stop what we’re doing when we get distracted or discouraged, or when we get in a rut. What can we do to keep going until we reach the success that we want, and need?

Most successful people will tell you that before they got to where they are now, they had a goal in mind. You’ve undoubtedly thought about where you’d like to be in a year, or five, or ten years. Even though you might be perfectly happy as a driver right now, it’s always a good idea to have a plan that lets you look beyond the view from the driver’s seat.

At Gridwise, we want to help drivers be as successful as you can possibly be. That’s why we’ve gathered what we know about setting and achieving goals and have shared it in this blog post. Here’s what we’ll discuss:

• How to set goals—and why it’s a good idea
• 4 goals to up your driving game
• 1 goal that takes you beyond the driver’s seat

How to set goals—and why it’s a good idea

Early in the 20th century, an author named Napoleon Hill wrote books such as The Law of Success and Think and Grow Rich. Although these books were published a long time ago, the ideas in Hill’s works are still very relevant, and helpful, to anyone who wants to be successful. 

Hill gathered the elements of his theory of success from some of the most noted giants of industry during his era. Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie are just two of the extraordinary people Hill interviewed in his effort to come up with a formula for success. One of the many lessons he learned from them is the importance of goal-setting.  

Hill summarized the process of setting goals as a six-step process, and listed them in his book, Think and Grow Rich. His goals were specifically related to earning more money—and most of us will undoubtedly relate to that. But because not all goals are money-related, we’ve used Hill’s basic concepts to create a more general six-step process:

1. Get clear on what it is you want.
2. Determine what you’re willing to do to achieve it.
3. Set a deadline when you expect to accomplish this.
4. Create a definite plan, and start working on it immediately.
5. Write out a clear concise statement of the above four steps.
6. Read your statement aloud twice daily: first thing in the morning, and before retiring at night; attempt to see, feel, and believe that you already possess it.

There’s a big difference between saying you want something and actually putting a plan in motion to get what you want. So, while you might visualize how to make more money, buy a better car, or buy your first home, none of these dreams are likely to come true unless you set goals, develop a plan, and follow it—just as Hill’s process suggests. 

By setting goals to improve our lives, we create milestones for our progress toward those goals. We’re also motivated to do more, and to do better.

You have your own unique goals, of course, depending on what you want from life. Here are four goals we put together that might interest you.

4 goals to up your driving gig game

1. Make more money

While this is something every driver wants to do, few of us actually set out with the right kind of plan. That’s where Hill’s prescribed goal-setting process can help. So try this exercise, inserting your own numbers and dates into the plan:

1. I want to make more money while driving – $(x) per week.
2. In order to accomplish this, I will work more hours and/or pick up a second rideshare or delivery gig.
3. I will accomplish this in (x) weeks, by (MM/DD/YYYY).
4. I will set a schedule whereby I’m driving a (x) hours each day, at times when I will get a lot of passengers and/or food and other delivery orders.
5. My written statement: By (MM/DD/YYYY) I will be making $(x) per week. I will make this happen by expanding my earning opportunities with additional driving gigs, and keeping to a schedule that has me driving at least (x) hours a day during times when I can make the most money in the least amount of time.
6. Write this down and read it aloud to yourself … first thing in the morning and last thing at night, every day.

You can easily see that by specifying certain numbers, for the amount of earnings or the number of work hours, how you can easily set up a plan that will lead you to your goal of making more money. We’re willing to bet you can make this work.

2. Be a better conversationalist while gig driving

This may not seem terribly important, or something that could impact your driving life, but in fact it does. For one thing, being more sensitive and engaged with your passengers will get you better ratings … and more tips. But remember, being a better conversationalist doesn’t necessarily mean you talk a lot. 

Mastering the right interaction with your passengers also includes gauging their moods, and paying attention to whether they’re already busy talking on the phone or just want to be left alone. This skill is important for delivery too, especially if you want to get on the good side of the people who work in a restaurant or store you work with all the time. Now, let’s take this goal through the basic six-part process, giving you a month (or a timeframe that works for you) to do it:

1. I want to be a better conversationalist so I can get more respect and rewards, including tips, from rideshare passengers, delivery customers, and service personnel.
2. I will be conscious and aware of what other people need in terms of engagement, and wherever possible and with appropriate interpersonal boundaries, express my genuine interest in them.
3. I will accomplish this by (MM/DD/YYYY), which is one month (or your established timeframe) from today.
4. I will use the training resources in my gig driving app to learn more about how to relate to my customers and service personnel, and practice techniques with each and every interaction, no matter how brief.
5. My written statement: I will become a better conversationalist while gig driving by being sensitive to the needs of my customers and others I work with, setting appropriate interpersonal boundaries, and expressing my genuine interest in people, using resources available to me through my driving app.
6. When you read this twice a day, every day, it will be easier to reach your goal.

3. Be a better bookkeeper for your driving business

It’s hard enough to keep track of where we’re going and what or whom we’re carrying with us when we’re driving, so bookkeeping often falls between the cracks. But keeping track of your earnings and expenses is good not only for determining how close you are to achieving your goals. It will also make planning for and paying your taxes at the end of each quarter much easier. 

It’s not that difficult to keep track of your income and expenses, especially when there are tools you can use to track them automatically. One of those tools is Gridwise, an incredible app that you can learn about here. Still, even a handy tool like this won’t do you any good unless you use it; so let’s look at your goal-setting process on this task, setting a reasonable deadline for completion:

1. I will be a better bookkeeper for my driving business.
2. I will do this by recording my earnings and expenses for all the apps I use, and all potential tax deductions.
3. I will accomplish this by (MM/DD/YYYY), which is one week from today.
4. I will either record my information daily on a spreadsheet, or use a tool such as Gridwise to do the calculations for me every time I go online to drive.
5. My written statement: I will be a better bookkeeper for my driving business within one week, by recording all income and expenses on a spreadsheet or with the help of a tool that assists me in this process.
6. When you read this out loud twice a day, you’ll find it hard to forget to keep good records.

4. Create a better balance between your driving gig and your personal life

Being a driver offers a lot more flexibility than a full-time 9 to 5 job, but it often encroaches on the time you want to spend with your partner, family, and friends. How can you go out to dinner when you’re driving people out and about on their dates? If you’re driving and working full-time, then the balancing act gets even more complicated. For all drivers, that “three more rides until I get the bonus” trap can often leave our loved ones at home, waiting for us, feeling frustrated and neglected.

Creating a healthy balance between gig driving and your personal life is possible, however. You simply have to look at your needs, be able to structure your work schedule, and also know when it’s time to take a break. Let’s see how you can apply Hill’s method to this very important effort. We’ll give you a week, but if you can do it in less time, or need longer, use your discretion.

1. I want to create a better balance between my driving gig and my personal life.
2. I will do this by structuring my driving time, and sticking to a schedule, and by setting time aside when I am not working so I can have a personal life.
3. I will accomplish this by (MM/DD/YYYY), which is one week from today.
4. I will set a realistic work schedule, and avoid the temptation to extend my driving time to make a few extra dollars. I will honor the commitments I make to myself and the significant others who are part of my personal life.
5. My written statement: I will have a better balance between my driving gig and my personal life in one week by structuring my driving time, sticking to a schedule, and setting time aside to cultivate and enhance my private life.
6. When your loved ones hear you say this out loud twice a day, like clockwork, you’ll probably hear a lot of “woot-woot’s” coming your way.

1 goal that takes you beyond the driver’s seat

Like we’ve said before, being a driver is great, but there are other endeavors that can take you beyond the gig life. What if you could jump in and catch the wave that’s carrying people like you into a stable, stimulating, and lucrative tech career?

That can happen right now, through a training academy called Galvanize. More than just a coding bootcamp, Galvanize is made for drivers like you. In fact, Gridwise has partnered with Galvanize to offer rideshare and delivery drivers a way to score a six-figure salary through their industry-leading Hack Reactor Software Engineering program.  

You can make your move from driver to coder in 12 weeks. Or, if you’d rather study part-time, continue to earn with your driving gig while learning to code in 9 months. Take classes online or at a Galvanize campus in your town. There are so many ways to cash in on this opportunity to get upskilled with Galvanize and Gridwise… how could Napoleon Hill not approve?

There’s only one thing left to do; let’s put this goal through Hill’s process:

1. I will earn a six-figure income by becoming a coder.
2. I will achieve this by enrolling in the Hack Reactor Software Engineering program offered by Galvanize and Gridwise.
3. I will accomplish this goal by 9/10/21, which is 12 weeks after the next program start date of 6/14/21.
4. I will apply to the Galvanize program, complete it, and use their networking and community resources to secure a job in the software engineering field.
5. My written statement: I will be upskilled from driver to coder, and earn a six-figure salary, in as little as 12 weeks by enrolling in the Hack Reactor Software Engineering program offered by Galvanize and Gridwise.
6. Recite this goal first thing in the morning and before falling asleep at night (and as many times in between as you think of it). You’ll be amazed at how fast you can put your old life behind you and embark on an exciting new career path.