They say most New Year’s resolutions are long forgotten by February. But setting goals isn’t the same as making resolutions. Goals are dreams and ambitions – with a plan. And no matter what time of year it may be, it’s always a good time for planning and setting goals.
If there are things you didn’t accomplish last year, maybe there are reasons why. Maybe you weren’t sure what steps to take or even where to start. Maybe you were afraid you’d fail if you tried. Or maybe the days just flew by and now you find yourself still dreaming of what could be and wondering if you’ll ever be able to make it happen.
Regardless of the reason, the first quarter of a new year is a great time to look at where you are in your business – and where you’d like to be at the end of the year.
Here are some tips to get you going.
– Visualize When Setting Goals
Saying what you want out loud may not be enough of a start for you. Writing goals down makes them more concrete and could help you visualize them. Some experts even suggest a vision board. (You can view ideas for a vision board on Pinterest by clicking here.) You can also use voice memos on your smartphone to record your thoughts. This helps because you can play it back to listen to it over and over again. However, if you decide to visualize your goals, make sure that you record them in some way that is easy to refer back to them. Use the strategy that is most productive for you in setting your goals.
– Look Back When Setting Goals
In order to determine what strategy you will use to achieve your goals, you must take a look back at last year’s goals. What kept you from succeeding at what you set out to accomplish last year? Did you just get too busy? Did something happen that shifted your focus to other things? Maybe you had too many goals. While looking back, determine what you learned from last year. This will help you to know what you may need to try this year when setting goals. You can’t face your future if you don’t accept and learn from the past.
– Prioritize When Setting Goals
You need to decide which goal or goals are most important to you. A way to help you do so is to split them into two groups – needs versus wants. It may be easy to write them down in ranking order. Then look at the time frame it will take complete each goal. More than likely it will be best to tackle the goals classified as need first. You will need to set a timeline for your goals. If you have a goal classified under a want that may be easily attainable, then you may be able to squeeze it in without disrupting the flow of the work on the needed goal. Either way, a timeline with specific dates is helpful. In order to keep you motivated, track milestones leading up to the goal deadline.
– Be Realistic When Setting Goals
No matter what your goals are, you need to be realistic about them. If you plan to lose weight or expand your business, you need to make sure it is doable for you. One thing you can do is set smaller goals that are easier to achieve. Once that smaller goal is attained, you can build on it. Achieving smaller goals brings small victories, which gives you more motivation to continue.
– Adjust When Life Happens
Life happens, right? For this very reason, you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself when life gets in the way of your goals. This simply means that you have to adjust and keep moving forward. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that “nothing worth having is easy”. Well, it’s true. Something may come up. Anticipate that and realize that how you handle it will determine your tenacity in accomplishing your goals. The tests of life are what define us. We just have to figure out how to navigate through them productively.
Productivity coaching can also help you stay on track with your plan. It gives you a partner to share in the victories, and someone who’ll help you make adjustments when necessary. It can also help with aspects of your life such as maintaining work-life balance, putting systems and processes in place to streamline your business, and keeping you focused on the the things that will bring the results you’re looking for.
Want to know more? Contact me today. Helping small business owners implement what they need to succeed is what I do best!
