Setting and managing your goals for 2009
January 4th, 2009 by Richelo Killian ·
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Goals 2009
It’s that time of the year again.
Everyone is setting their goals for the year. Well most people call it their new years resolutions. I hate new years resolutions. It’s short term to begin with, AND, most people never stick to it.
New years resolutions are more wishes than they are anything else, and most people have abandoned them by March!
No, goals are the ONLY way to go.
Two types of goals
We all have personal things we want to achieve, but, for those of us running a business, there are always business goals as well.
Both are equally important, BUT, it IS very important that we keep them separate!
Write it down!
If you DON’T write your goals down somewhere where you can refer to them regularly, they again become wishes, which are QUICKLY forgotten!
I have a noticeboard right over my computer monitor, and I print my main goals out, and stick them on the notice board. That way I am CONSTANTLY reminded of the goals, and it helps keep me motivated to work on them.
A secondary benefit of having it on the noticeboard like that: Whenever anyone visits and sees the goals, they ask me about it. So, if they come around halfway through the year, and I STILL have some easy goals on there, NOT crossed out as completed, they hammer me about it. INSTANT accountability!
Be SPECIFIC!
So, you write out a goal of: I want to lose weight.
Talk about open ended, and NO real goal or direction.
How about: I want to lose 20 Pounds of fat, bringing my body fat % down to 18%.
That’s a LOT better, but, we can improve that even more!
Let’s try: I am going to lose 20 Pounds of fat, and bring my body fat % down to 18% BY 1 July 2009.
Not only is it very specific, BUT, it places a time frame on it!
I can’t remember who said it, nor the EXACT quote, but, it went something like this: A goal without a deadline is just a dream/wish, and will never happen!
Break it down!
Let’s use a different example here: My business will be consistently making $10K + a month by 31 July 2009.
That’s a very specific goal, as well as having a deadline. So, all good then?
Not exactly…
Even though the actual goal is properly written, as well as have the required deadline, there is something missing.
Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that your business right now is only making a couple of hundred dollars every month.
Now, looking at the goal again, it seems VERY big, almost insurmountable. Right?
We have to break the goal down into smaller, more manageable goals.
So, for instance: By the end of January 2009, my business will have made $1000 or more.
Followed by: By the end of February 2009, my business will have made $2000 or more for the month of February.
See where I am going?
Make it smaller, more easily attainable goals. Something that our poor human psyche can more easily accept as attainable!
Just do it!
I have tried to give you some starter ideas on setting and managing your goals from now on. There is a LOT more to say, but, we’ll leave that for another post.
For now, just start writing out your goals!!!
I would love to hear your comments on this article! Let me know what you liked, didn’t like, and share your thoughts and tips on setting and managing goals.
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Tags: accountability, Business, business goals, Goal, Marketing, New Year, new years resolutions, Resolution, running a business
