Goal Setting
Business
By : Becky Sill Independent LegalShield Associate www . beckysill . com
Goal Setting
I ’ ve spent a lot of time in my professional life thinking about goals . What are they ? How do you set them and more importantly how do you achieve them ? If you ’ ve been around goal setting training for any length of time you ’ ve heard the saying , “ if it isn ’ t written down , it doesn ’ t exist ” or “ a goal not written down is just a dream ”! I must say from personal experience that I have found that to be true .
Try these steps to get you started .
1 . What is your WHY ? When your why is big enough , you can conquer any “ how ” so write it down and keep it visible to keep you focused .
2 . Write down S M A R T goals : As Yogi Berra says ,“ If you don ’ t know where you are going , you might end up somewhere else ”.
Specific – Be very specific about your goal . I want more customers or I want to grow my business is not specific . I want to grow my customer base by 10 % is specific .
Measurable - I want to grow my customer base by 10 % by the end of first quarter is measurable . Attainable / Agreeable – Make sure it is attainable and everyone involved is on board .
Realistic / Relevant – Be real . 50 % customer growth in six months for a business that has only realized 3-5 % grown over a 5 year period may be attainable , but it is probably not realistic . Don ’ t set yourself up for failure .
Time Bound – Set enough time to achieve your goal , but not so much time that you lose focus .
3 . Take a look in the rearview mirror . Some may say not to dwell on the past , but focus on the future . I personally have found that if I don ’ t know where I ’ ve been or where I am , it ’ s hard to plot the course for where I am going . What has worked , what hasn ’ t . What are you good at , what do you enjoy ? The time I spend reflecting on my business and taking inventory of where I spend my time helps me work smarter , not harder . Play to your strengths and manage your weakness . You can ’ t be good at everything .
4 . Now that you know where you are going , break it down . Rome wasn ’ t built in a day . Outline the activities needed to achieve each one of the SMART goals . Quarterly , monthly , weekly , daily . Twenty calls a day is much easier to wrap your head around than 5200 calls / year .
5 . Track your activity . This could very well be one of the most important steps in achieving your goal . Tracking takes time ( I ain ’ t gonna lie ) but it is time well spent . It allows you to see how activity correlates with progress . What activities bring results and which ones don ’ t .
For a more detailed look at goal setting and a guide to keep you on track , I recommend , Design Your Best Year Ever by Darren Hardy . HAPPY GOAL SETTING !
MOMENTUM / February 2017 27