The Importance of Goal Setting
If we want to create a fruitful, lasting business, we first must establish goals that are clear and be willing to follow them through to the best of our ability. Without any goals, there is no structure at all in which to build anything upon to create real, lasting result. Just as a house need a solid foundation in order to be built and last, so does any last success story.
Without goals, we have no defined purpose and nothing precise to strive for in life. This is why we may stagnate and struggle to reach any meaningful accomplishment.
What are goals?
Goals are the process of creating resolutions in order to achieve a desired result. Whether the goals are short term or long term, they will provide a clear understanding and the way in which to get from level ‘A’ to level ‘B.’
If we no not know what it is we want to achieve, then it is almost impossible to reach any success. Wishy-washy goals can only ever produce wishy-washy results. Setting short-term goals is an essential component in achieving long term goals for most businesses. Each small goal allows us to break down the whole process into specific instalments without losing sight of the bigger picture.
Setting goals helps to give everyday tasks more meaning, and it makes everything behind business decisions have much greater clarity.
The difference between goals and wishes
Having a dream about what kind of success you want is wonderful, but without a solid plan to carry out the needed action steps to make that dream a reality, it remains only a wish and not a goal. It is necessary to follow proven goal setting procedures in order to turn ideas and dreams into business success. Otherwise, goals remain merely unattainable forever.
Get S.M.A.R.T. with goals
A proven method of goal-setting is a procedure called S.M.A.R.T.
Specific – Creating specific goals gives us a better chance to be successful. Think about exactly what you what to accomplish, why you want to accomplish it and when.
Measurable – Have a concrete way of measuring your progress towards attaining every goal you set. Stay on track, and when you reach your target allow yourself to feel good for all you accomplish. measuring your progress allow you to see where any adjustments are needed along the way.
Attainable – It is awesome to think big, however starting out with small goals is sometimes the best approach. You may need to develop skills, the right attitude and the financial capacity in order to reach them.
Realistic – Being realistic means that you set goals that you are both willing and able to work towards. You can still set very high goals and have a realistic plan to achieve them. Only you can decide how high your goals will go, so be sure that each goal will represent another step on the journey. Remember, you can always stretch further as each goal is met.
Time-sensitive – Goals need to be grounded within a specific time frame to successfully achieve them. For instance, if you want to lose 10 pounds, you need to know when you want to lose it by. Saying ‘someday’ will not work effectively and you may never reach your desired results as they will be 'someday' in the distant future. But if you set a date such as the 1st of October, you have set your unconscious mind in motion to begin working on the goal to meet this time frame.
Team effort, working as a community
Goals can be set for individuals, departments, or the business as a whole. Publicising goals for the business team can give people a boost to create and achieve their personal goals also. Supporting each other as a community can help bring goals into fruition much faster and more efficiently. Valuable feedback for other people can also assist in achieving great results in every area of business.
Goal setting is an ongoing process
Goal setting is not just a one-time event when creating a successful business plan, it is a continuous process. The company market changes, the economy and sale will fluctuate, so being savvy as the owner of a business helps to utilise each situation.
Even during a crisis, having small goals can have a huge positive impact when things begin to improve. When your business is doing well and flourishing, goals will help maintain as well as increase these fruitful times, acting as a safeguard to the down time also.
Goals also needs to be written, and a plan to be created that will outline the probable method of carrying out the steps to attain the desired outcome. Along the way, goals and steps may need to be modified, but never abandoned altogether unless this is the only alternative you will have. Reviewing your goals regularly, and creating status reports is very helpful in going forwards with future objectives.
“Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.”~ Paulo Coelho
“If you don't know where you are going,
you'll end up someplace else.” ~ Yogi Berra
“If you have a dream, don't just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality.” ~ Roopleen
Have a beautiful and fulfilling day of goal setting dear friends, and enjoy every step of the journey. Remember, not all goals might be reached, but we certainly need something to aim at. Even if you aim for the moon, you will reach the stars. Blessings to all.
Recent Comments
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You have one of my favorite sayings.....aim for the moon. If you miss, you'll still be amongst the stars. Goals are important to do just that.
Thanks for the reminder, Abigail.
You are most welcome, Debbie. Your, I love this saying also because it shows that we can always create success, even if it is not in the way we first expect. I glad to be connected and sharing. Many blessings. :)))
great reading it and I agree and to add as Zig Ziggler has quoted (in order to be successful you first need to help others) and you just did all the best
Many blessings and yes, Zig Ziglar is awesome. I have a post with a host of his quotes too. Glad to be connected and sharing. Wishing you great success. :)))
Well said Abigail!
Knowing the importance of setting goals isn't enough. We need to constantly remind ourselves of our goals so we keep pushing towards them. So thank you for taking the time to write such an important post.
Have you check out 43things.com ? This is a great way to start recording your goals. Also, you'll connect with people who have the same goals as you. Fun place indeed, and free of course!
Hi Damien, it is so very true that we need to remind ourselves of why we have goals and review them often. Having a goal with no plan will not get us from 'A' to 'B.' I am grateful to be connected and sharing.
I had not heard of 43things.com before, however when I clicked on the link I saw it is connected to something called Zeitgeist, which I have heard of. Their site looks very interesting and I look forward to exploring what they share. Thank you for sharing it, I will definitely check it out. :)))
Sweet, you'll totally like it!
Might be something you grow out of, but awesome for the purpose it has. I still check back on my profile. "Should add something new now that I'm thinking about it, lol"
You are most welcome, Marvin. It is awesome to be connected and sharing motivation. All the best in your success. :)))
I do believe we should set goals but I also feel short term are better than long term. You complete more tasks that way and always have that feeling of accomplishment. :)
Thank you for sharing, Angela. Both types of goals are important to creating success in life... without long term goals we cannot break them down into short term goals and assess our progress. They work together, however focusing on the small steps is what is needed to reach the long term goals. Ahhh... the mind of an entrepreneur hey. ;) All the best in any goal you set out to achieve. :)))
Moje nefinancijske ciljeve
U idućih deset dana , htio bih urediti postojeće sadržaje kako bi bili sigurni da je potražnja velika s mojim novim temama i popraviti sve gramatičke probleme. Ja bi također željeli ažurirati svoju početnu stranicu i napraviti još tri članke i još tri recenzije proizvoda.
U narednih trideset dana , da se stvara oko tri nove blogu tjedno. Saznajte što više tehničkih informacija što mogu za WordPress i moju novu temu pa sve izgleda kako ja to želim previše. Također bih želio poboljšati svoj Google rang i imaju veći volumen prometa i dobiti 500 newsletter pretplatnika.
Wow! Hvala za dijeljenje svoje ciljeve, Jela. I ja sam stvorio neke vrlo specifične ciljeve postići u sljedećih nekoliko tjedna. Ako vjerujemo, možemo postići. Sve je u nama stvoriti uspjeh sada.
Mnogi blagoslov i zahvalnost. To je divno podijeliti putovanje. :)))
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What an awesome post, thanks Abigail. :) Will go through it again. :)
I am so glad this post resonated, Jewel. It is always great to be connected. Here's to our success. :)))
Thank you Abigail. Here's to our success - 2015!1 :)