The Ten Commandments of Goal Setting
While it's good to set goals and work them into a proper plan, the fact is many people succeed in business without setting any goals. Be careful not to set your goals too high. You should have goals that are achievable, otherwise frustration will set in and you are more likely to give up.
There are certain features or strategies that you can build into your goals resulting in success.
Some of these are set out below:
Thou shalt have a Vision.
You need to have a vision. As the saying goes; "Without a vision the people perish." Everything starts off with a vision. The great sky scrapers we have, the enormous business that have been built, the amazing inventions that are being used and the race to conquer the moon all started off with someone having a vision. By vision we don't mean airy-fairy dreams in the night or other 'fluffy' type pictures or voices from beyond. A vision arises either from a realisation that there is a need for a particular product or particular service or from something that you have been passionate about for a long time or simply from a good idea.
Thou Shalt Always Plan.
Sit down and plan starting with the end result that you want to achieve and then work backwards. If your goal is to develop a new type of machine then work from the end result you want to achieve, working your plan backwards, starting from the design and financing stage. Always have a plan. Measure your plan against the actual development of the project from time to time. Thou Shalt Account.
Look around and work with others. Listen to other people's ideas and suggestions. Talk to those who have expertise in the area that you are getting involved in. Make yourself accountable to someone else or another group and work frequently with them to assess how your project is developing and if necessary, make changes along the way. It is easier for you to measure your progress if you have a team involved. Even though you should always make the final decision, make sure you have a team you can discuss these things with and listen to before going too far down the track. Thou Shalt Stay Confident.
Be confident in yourself and your ability. Don't set yourself goals that your heart tells you are unreachable. Many people make resolutions only to fail within a few weeks of making them. If your goal is to develop your business to a turnover of $1million a year then believe that you can do it. If your goal is to be healthy and fit, then imagine yourself exercising every other day. Thou Shalt Work with Others.
Make sure that you secure the services of other people to help you. Don't be a lone ranger and try and attempt everything yourself. It is always good to have a mentor or business coach handy who you can use as a bouncing board. Don't try to complete your goals on your own. Look for the support and assistance of others at all times. Thou Shalt Have Good Recordkeeping.
You need to keep good records. If you are in business make sure that your paperwork is clean and clear and that the system you have in place recording all transactions is adequate for the task. Even though there is extra time involved, it is imperative that you ensure good records and your paperwork is detailed in every way. Thou Shalt Be Realistic.
Set yourself goals that are not only achievable but are realistic. If you think we can achieve $200,000 a year in extra sales then it is better to achieve that and increase it to $300,000 dollars than to set the goal of $300,000 and achieve only $200,000. Most people feel they have failed if they do not achieve the goals set down in their plan.It is best to set a goal a little above what you believe you can do so you are challenged. If you would like to achieve $500,000 worth of sales in the current year then aim for $750,000 in your plan. If you miss your planned goals and only achieve $500,000, you have in fact succeeded. If for some reason you achieve $750,000 then you have exceeded your minimum expectations and can rate yourself as being very successful.
Thou Shalt Be Enthusiastic.
Be passionate and excited with what you are doing. It is amazing what passion can do. There is no more powerful force that will motivate you to succeed then having passion within yourself. It is really hard work all the way if you are not passionate. Thou Shalt Enjoy and Balance.
Try and enjoy what you are doing. Try and enjoy the thrill of working to achieve your goals. Balance your life so its not all work. Make sure there is some play. A balanced person in business will achieve far more than someone who is focused totally on the business side and other things while ignoring friends, family and other activities. Too many people work late into the night in their office rather than closing up at 5 or 6 pm and having some fun. It is easy to get jaded and lose motivation if your only environment is around business affairs.The enjoyment of family and friends and other associates or experiencing sport and other activities will give you a fresh lease in life so that when you return to the office to do business work the benefits from the other activities will definitely kick in. There is nothing wrong with taking a break and having a change from time to time once you feel things are going tough or your creativity is drying up.
Thou Shalt Never Quit.
Don't ever give up. Sometimes things get a little difficult. Sometimes achieving your goals is just over the horizon. Many people give up just when success is close. Make sure you keep bringing yourself back to the reasons why you set up in your business or looked at achieving your goals in the first place.If for some reason you don't achieve your initial goals - don't give it away. Make adjustments to your goals and start afresh. There is nothing more powerful than the human spirit. It is amazing what you can achieve when you set your heart on it. The old saying is "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." We can learn a lot from this.
Copyright 2005 StartRunGrow
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StartRunGrow (http://www.startrungrow.com) is a global online information organization that specializes in creating, developing and marketing business help information specifically with the aim of "making business easier" for entrepreneurs around the world. The StartRunGrow objective is to become a dominant player in the business help arena providing end to end solutions for the millions of small and medium businesses worldwide who continue to struggle daily with the difficulties of starting, running and growing a successful business.