Have you set business goals? Have you achieved your goals from last year? Do you remember what they were? Try and breathe. You can do this. You just need a little guidance. Setting goals for your business is more important than you think. If you do not set goals, how will you know if you succeeded? Is your business victorious or a failure? Are you sure? You are going to grab the goal-setting-bull by the horns and start planning. Envision the big picture and consider any obstacles that may arise for each of these goals. Don’t try and do everything at once. When setting your business goals for next year, consider these: S – specific Be as specific as possible. Pick 5 goals that you would like to achieve by the end of next year. Create a spreadsheet listing each goal along with deadlines and notes. Narrow down your goals into smaller tasks. Keep a column for check-marks so you can mark when you have finished the task and ultimately achieved the goal. M – measurable When setting a goal, ensure it is measurable. There must be a way to track it. Schedule a monthly meeting with yourself and review your goals. Check that spreadsheet mentioned above
to see if there are any tasks that has been forgotten or deadlines that have been missed. First of all, don’t miss deadlines but if you do, for some unforeseen reason, this is your opportunity to get yourself back on track. A – achievable If it didn't seem achievable when you thought of it, it ain't going on the list. Every goal should feel like “Hey, I can totally do this.” Start each goal with an action verb, for example: stop, write, complete, and do rather than want, be, and have. This tricks your brain into feeling like these goals are achievable. R – realistic There is nothing worse than not achieving your goals. You feel like a failure and it can take a toll on your mental health. When choosing your goals, be realistic. Go with your gut. If it kicks you when you have an idea, abort idea. You will know when it feels right. Although tempting, fantasizing about taking over the world may not be your calling. Not your calling means not on the list. T – time frame A commitment to a deadline keeps you on track. Remember that handy spreadsheet that you made? Review it every single day to keep yourself on track. Your business will thank you for it and so will your ulcer. Setting deadlines is intended to ensure you stay on track with your goals and prevent them from being over-taken by the day to day tasks of running your business. Deadlines create urgency and makes you accountable. Without deadlines you will get it done ‘someday’. We all know how that goes. I am an Entrepreneur and I understand that we want everything completed yesterday and all things are urgent. Don’t try to do everything all at once. Go through your task list daily and be patient. It takes time to reach your goals. You set SMART goals so you have to trust the system that you put into place. Stick with it! You will be happy you did.
