Setting business goals can be a daunting task. Most of us realize that we want to make more money, more sales, have more customers or better customers. Making goals can be difficult. We don't want to be too aggressive and we certainly don't want to set goals that are too easily achieved. Finding goals that will help you build your business and you reach the larger goal is imperative.
Life and business are all about plans and goals. I like to think about a roadmap. If we all want to get in the car and drive from where I live in Utah to San Diego, there would only be a few paths that would get us there. Ultimately, one path would prove to be the quickest, safest and best.
If we loaded up our car and started driving around in circles without identifying where we wanted to go the road trip would go on and on and on. We would probably not end up anywhere. Eventually, one day, possibly by luck, if we were continually driving we would bump into the ocean. But a real plan with real information would allow us to get there much sooner.
When I set a business goal for myself I try to make it something that's wonderful but at the same time doable. I have daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals, yearly goals and of course, my end goal.
Here's three guidelines to setting awesome but attainable business goals:
1. Be realistic. Set a goal that is beyond what you have reached in the past or the same results in less time. Either of these tends to work great for me.
When I sold insurance policies to Mexicans crossing into the U.S. boarder I decided I would run between the cars as oppose to walking to them to increase my success in a shorter amount of time. It worked.
2. Make it wonderful. Goals should have wonderful results. As important as being realistic is, making sure you are working towards wonderful will make all the difference.
Wonderful results are addictive and you'll find yourself getting a high off of your successes if they are good enough.
3. Set a goal to make goals. The worst thing in the world is to not make goals. Even if you fall short or make them too easy, having a goal is better than having no goal at all. It may take time to get the habit properly formed, but like exercise and budgeting money, those that master it never look back.
Goals are key to the success of your personal and professional life. Make a goal, make it happen. Never look back.
