The number one mistake most small businesses make is not having clearly defined goals. They know that they have a great business idea and that they want to make a great living from that idea. But what they fail to do is clearly define exactly what they want!

The unfortunate result is that this lack of clarity and specifics will cause you to be easily distracted and take you off track from achieving what you want and have you running around chasing your tail!

While there are hundreds of books, blogs, videos and commentary out there on how to set and achieve goals I found that a mix of several methods blended into one actually worked better for me rather than one particular process.

In fact what I discovered was that all the processes that I explored had several factors in common here are the seven things that I apply when setting my goals that may help you in achieving yours.

1. Be to the point and specific about what I really want, new customers is not descriptive enough – 7 new consulting project customers by 31 December 2011is descriptive and to the point.
2. Only select 3 – 5 goals to set. This will help you focus on what is really most important to you and you can realistically achieve. And if you achieve it quickly you can always add in another goal, this way you are always focused on the three goals most important to you right now.
3. Visually design the goals so they appeal to you.  For example I am a very visual person so I have a poster in my office with pictures of what each goal represents.
4. Keep the language you use simple and conversational. Imagine that you are sitting with me and I am asking you what your goals are, how would you answer me? (Make sure to use the words and language that you use in your everyday conversations)
5. Keep the goals brief, you will have a greater chance of remembering them if they are short and to the point.
6. Develop a list of rewards for taking actions towards your goals and of course rewards for achieving them. Remember the journey towards achieving your goals is just as important as achieving them (after all you never know what you might discover along the way). If you reward yourself along the way it can act as a motivator to keep you moving towards them.
7. Tell someone, a friend, relative, business colleague, your neighbour, a coach. Just make sure you speak the goals out loud. I have found this is one way that keeps me accountable to my own goals. After all I don’t want to face the person I tell the next time I see them if I have done nothing!

Take action right now on getting what you want by writing down the three goals that are most important to you. Go on, I dare you you might just get what you want.

Cheers

Sue