There are many skills that a successful entrepreneur uses to run a business. Listed amongst the most important is the ability to set goals. Goals are especially important for home business entrepreneurs who may get distracted with household problems and have difficulty focusing on building their business. Concise goals can help you to cut through the overwhelming clutter and allow you to prioritize what needs to get done and when. Think of goals as a yardstick to measuring your business’ success and progress. They will help you to characterize the growing shape of your business. Your approach to goal setting is just as important as achieving your goals.
Your attitude is a strong determining factor of whether or not you’ll attain those goals. Most people agree that goals are important, but less than five percent write them down or create action plans. Fear is most often the culprit. People don’t like to write goals on paper because they’re afraid to commit to them. But writing your goals out is the first step to getting them done. A goal is never etched in stone; you can change it at any time. Keep in mind that goal setting becomes easier the more often you do it. Once you’ve set goals and attained them, the power of goal setting will drive you to set more.
There are a few ways to increase your odds of achieving your goals. The first is to have short-term and long-term goals. One way to approach this is to set weekly, quarterly, annual, and even three-year or five-year goals. Generate short-term goals by first considering your long-term goals. Maybe there’s a certain dollar amount you want to earn or a number of clients you need to sign up by a certain time. If you can’t think of any short-term goals right away, think about a professional goal that you would like to achieve. Once you’ve determined a long-term goal, you can work backwards. If your goal is to make $100,000 this year, you should make a list of what it would take to make that amount. If you have difficulty creating your list, ask peers or friends for help. When your list is complete, break down those small steps into goals and work hard to ensure that those goals are clear.
Make your goals are specific, measurable and have a set deadline. Working to “generate more sales” is an admirable goal, but it’s so vague that it doesn’t give you a definable way to judge if and how well you’ve attained that goal. For example, you could set a goal to “increase my sales by 15 percent per year.” But think realistically when setting your goals; don’t set yourself up for failure. Make sure your goals are attainable. If you aim too high, you’re dooming yourself to fail.
Defeat, however can come by not working hard enough. Taking too lax an attitude towards your goals also is detrimental. Some entrepreneurs set goals that are too easily attained and are not necessarily relevant to the success of the business. If you’re inclined to do this, look for ways to challenge yourself. Watch out for goals that will keep you busy, but are not appropriate to the overall success of your business. If you don’t believe your goals are worthwhile or if they seem too easy, you won’t take the necessary initiative to achieve them. But don’t rush ahead too quickly; patience and persistence will drive you forward.
If you’re not accomplishing as much as you feel you should or you feel that your system of setting goals isn’t working, don’t give up. Stick to it. Keep setting goals for several months and you’ll find that these skills will improve. Consistency and commitment are necessary for making your goals, and in turn your business, a success. If you review your goals regularly, they won’t seem as daunting. Keep your weekly or other short-term goals in plain view — by your desk, or next to your computer, for example — so you know what you need to accomplish. Look at your annual goals monthly to see if you’re on track. If your businesses focus changes, don’t hesitate to alter your goals. Flexibility is a crucial component of goal setting.