Do you set goals? There is no doubt that working towards goals brings purpose and clarity to you in your life and in your business. Goal-setting isn’t always easy though. You need to be stretched otherwise there is little point doing it – but you don’t want the goals to be unattainable otherwise you are in danger of just dropping them in the “too hard” bin at the first opportunity.
There is also no gain to be made from trying to change everything in one go – we hear of so many people setting “New year Resolutions” where they try to give up smoking and alcohol as well as going to the gym and going on a diet – they are just setting themselves up to fail by January 17th!
So – set big goals if you wish, but break them down into bite-sized chunks with shorter time horizons. Weekly targets can work well. (Yes you need to have a date, otherwise – it’s not a goal!). Do stretch yourself too – you want a sense of achievement when it’s done!
You have probably all heard about SMART goals, but here’s a quick recap. SMART goals are:
SPECIFIC – Don’t just say “increase sales” but “Increase sales of product X by 10”. Or lose a stone by March 31st.
MEASURABLE – It should be something concrete that you can actually measure – e.g. time saved, units sold, sales figures achieved. And preferably where you know where you are now, and where you want to get to.
ACHIEVABLE – it has to be possible! You can’t sell more of “you” than the time available, for example. It also has to be achievable in a realistic sense – will you be able to do this, will you be able to sustain the effort required? But do make sure you are not too “comfortable” – you need to move out of your comfort zone – just a little bit!
RELEVANT – the goal must be relevant to your business or your life ambitions – don’t just have a goal of writing a book for the sake of it (or because everyone else did in lockdown).
TIME-BOUND – a goal without a time constraint is just a wish – WHEN will this be done by?
Now I’d like you to consider adding a couple more!
E for Exciting – Does the process of getting to your goal excite you, does the end result excite you? You are far more likely to stick to the process if you enjoy it!
R for Rewarding – OK so maybe the process is dull, but think how you will feel once it is attained! Look at the date you have set and imagine yourself on that day, celebrating reaching your goal. How will you celebrate? How will you feel?
So – what’s your BIG goal for your business and / or your life for 2021? Let me know in the comments below
Is it a SMART goal?
Is it a SMARTER goal?
Lastly – there is no doubt that one of the best indicators of success is to SHARE your goal with others – so make sure you tell the world – and you’ll be far more likely to reach your target.