How do you set goals? Today I will guide you through the process of setting and achieving success-based goals for your business.
In goal setting, it is important to differentiate between long-term (ultimate goals) and short-term (daily steps required to reach those long-term goals) goals.
For instance, your long-term goal might be to become a renowned environmental advocate, attain financial independence, improve your health and fitness or travel the world to broaden your horizons.
Now, if we break each of those down into short-term goals, which are the smaller, actionable daily tasks, they will involve regularly volunteering for environmental causes, consistently saving and investing a portion of your income, committing to a daily exercise routine or perhaps starting a language course to prepare for your future travels.
Short-term goals are like building blocks; they add up over time and help you reach your big dreams.
See Also: How to move from idea to starting your business in 30 days.
After identifying your “why,” the next step is to set goals for your business.
Steps To Set Success-Driven Goals
Let’s look at eight steps to set success-driven goals.
1. Decide on your goals.
The first step is to decide on the goals you want to achieve. The question you should be asking here is “What are my goals for this business?”
To arrive at the goals, you must think through this and arrive at an answer. If you need guidance with this step, you can speak with me through Ask An Expert.
2. Write down your goals.
Here’s a neat trick I learned, and studies back it up: If you jot down your goals, you’re more likely to commit to them and get them done.
This works for me all the time. Whenever I want to achieve something, I write it down. It’s like my road map to success. I recommend you keep a journal, just like I do. Remember, if it’s not written down, it’s easily forgotten.
This comes in handy especially when dealing with big goals. I break them into manageable smaller goals. This way, I can see and track my progress and stay committed to achieving what I’ve written down in my journal.
3. Share your ideas for accountability.
The third step is to tell someone about your goals—but not just anyone. Pick a person you know will be a good accountability partner. You can tell a coworker, your spouse, your best friend, your parents or even your child.
Sharing your goals with a valued person can help keep you on track. The person you confide in should be someone who can check in and say, for example, “Hey, Florence, how’s that project coming along?” This will keep you accountable to work toward your goals.
In Start Your Business in 30 Days program, our entrepreneurs choose accountability partners who hold them accountable to achieve the goals they set for their business. If your mind is buzzing with ideas and you’re uncertain about executing them, you need Start Your Business in 30 Days. Click to enrol now.
4. Break down your goals.
Next, you must break your goals into smaller goals, which is key to success.
For instance, aiming to build a business empire is fantastic, but it’s a massive undertaking with various components. To transform a business into an empire, there are different elements, like finding your first paying client, securing funding, establishing partnerships and building a solid business model with a strategic marketing and sales plan to move your business from one stage to the next, evolving as you go. Additionally, it’s crucial to establish a solid business and organizational structure. A business that relies entirely on its owner’s presence cannot reach the “empire” level of success.
There are so many building blocks that you need to put together to achieve your goals. Identify those building blocks now.
Everything I’ve mentioned, from securing your first paying customer to building a solid business model and organizational structure, is what you’ll learn at Start Your Business in 30 Days if you’re a new entrepreneur. For established businesses struggling with structuring or scaling, reach out to me here, and I’ll work with you long-term to propel you to the next stage of growth.
Also, explore the various ways we work with entrepreneurs to assist them in starting, setting up, and scaling their businesses.
5. Put a deadline to your goals.
Once your smaller goals are in place, plan your first task with a deadline. When you have a deadline, you will stay accountable. Studies have shown that people put their best foot forward when there is a deadline for a task.
Tying a task to a deadline is important because the commencement and achievement of the next task are dependent on the current task. If you do not finish your first task, you cannot move to the second task.
You can have as many goals as you want, but having a deadline will help you accomplish those goals. With a deadline, you are in the hot seat to meet the timeline and move to the next goal.
A goal is not SMART if it does not have a deadline. At ReDahlia and Entrepreneurs.ng, we always set deadlines for our goals. Deadlines help everyone in our team know what they need to do and how tasks depend on each other to reach the goal. We all work together to get things done.
6. Finish your task by the deadline.
You have to bear in mind that the accomplishment of a bigger goal depends on you finishing this first task. So if you do not finish this first task by the deadline, it derails the entire plan.
You have to be realistic when setting timelines to avoid burnout. For example, saying that I’ll start and finish developing an executive course for high-impact entrepreneurs in just two days would be unrealistic. This timeframe might not work because creating a lasting, impactful program involves numerous components. Shooting Start Your Business in 30 Days Course took 30 days!
You have to remember this when setting your deadline. Once the time is realistic, do all it takes to finish by the deadline. It gives an immeasurable kind of joy.
7. Rinse and repeat.
Repeat each of these steps for all the other goals you have, planning each task and finishing those tasks by a deadline.
8. Celebrate your success.
Time to celebrate! Learn to celebrate your wins, even if you consider them little. Anytime you finish a goal, reward yourself and celebrate just because you finished a goal.
We are often too hard on ourselves, and you have to realize that the entrepreneurial journey is a tough one that you have to find ways to lighten.
Setting ambitious goals can lead to greater satisfaction when they’re achieved, but remember to set goals that are achievable.
For instance, you cannot say your goal is to own the biggest pharmaceutical company in the world by the age of 30 when at 27 you are still jobless with no family inheritance. Setting goals that are not attainable can leave you frustrated and depressed.
Achievement of a goal involves hard work and the determination to succeed.
Go ahead and set those goals now. I want to see you do it! In the end, I want you to be satisfied. If you achieve your goals and are satisfied, I will be happy to have accomplished one of my goals in life: to build a generation of entrepreneurs who make an impact.
I want to read the goals you hope to achieve in the comments. Put them out there in the universe.
How I can help you set success-driven goals
If you want to work with me to set and achieve your goals, then enrol in the Start Your Business in 30 Days Program. I will take you from idea to starting your business in 30 days.
Every week, I teach practical business lessons that have helped thousands of entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. If you want to benefit from my teachings, sign up for the business lesson here.
Some parts of this article were first published by Florence Chikezie on Forbes.com
I am an internationally trained award-winning entrepreneur and a member of the prestigious Forbes Coaches Council. I help aspiring entrepreneurs start and set up their businesses through my program- Start Your Business In 30 Days. And, I work with corporations to scale their impact and revenue. Reach me at Florence@entrepreneurs.ng if you would like to transform your business.
I’m rooting for you.
