Setting goals for your business is a great way to provide a clear focus for you and your staff about where you are heading. However if you want to ensure that your goals are effective and help drive your business performance then check out my top 10 tips below to setting kick arse goals.
1. SMART goals which are:
- Specific
- Measureable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Time-bound
Set your goals over a 90-day period. If your goal is too far out, it’s easy to put off starting it. Think of your goal as being at the top of a staircase; to get there you need to take smaller steps.
2. For each 90-day goal, set the three most important initiatives that you can do in the next 7 to 10 days. Then, for each initiative, determine what action you can take in the next 24 hours. Write your goals down, and read them twice a day, morning and night.
3. Think positively when setting your goals. State what you want, and what you willdo, not what you don’t want.
4. Be as specific, simple and concrete as you can. Consider the ultimate goal in precise measurements; when and how you will make things happen. Remember motivation increases with clarity, so the clearer you are about your goal, the more motivated you will become to achieve it.
5. Work on what you can control. For example, we can’t control the economic situation in Europe, but we can control how much money we save and how much we spend. Put your focus where you can be effective.
6. Make your success finite, and know when you have achieved it. Your SMART goals will help you do this.
7. Small changes lead to big changes. As you achieve each step it creates a sense of achievement and effectiveness. Focus on and complete one thing at a time.
8. Be consistent in the pursuit of your goals. Studies have shown that it takes 28 to 30 days for our brain to form new neural connections. (In other words: break an old habit and start a new one.)
9. Do more of what is working and less of what isn’t. Sometimes the difference between progress and stagnation is stopping activity that doesn’t move your towards your goal.
10. Stick to the plan! It’s never too late to start. Don’t let limiting thoughts or conversations hold you back.
Reassess your goals
Maybe it’s time to have another look at your own goals. Are they written down? Are they SMART goals? Are you really committed to them? If you don’t have any goals at the moment, start thinking about it, and make a commitment to yourself to set some. After all, you’re never going to get that holiday until you work out where it is that you want to go.
Make sure you have also set up systems to ensure you can measure and track your goals. You may find sharing them with someone else helps ensure you are accountable for whether you achieve them or not. We help our clients set and measure goals to ensure that they achieve the business improvement they want.
Speak to us today to discuss your business and goals in a FREE, No Obligation Business Review. We can help identify opportunities in your business and guide you in the right direction.