First Person: Goal Setting for Small Business

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If you want to have a better year than this past one for your small business, you need some goals. In this case, I am not talking strictly about having metrics. I’m talking about your ‘vision’ for your small business.

Starting in grade school and continuing to the present time, I have successfully achieved numerous major goals I set for myself. I became an Eagle Scout when I turned 12. I graduated from the USAF Academy. I have traveled to 36 states and 10 foreign countries. I have owned my own business. And I have eight years’ experience as a small business consultant. These were all goals.

Naturally, there have been some dreams I have yet to manifest. Yet in the process of goal setting, I have learned much about what it takes. So what is the difference between making your dreams come true and not?

Here Are Points I Have Found Helpful to Successful Goal Setting

– You must know what you want
– You must be able to visualize or sense the dream as accomplished
– A group ‘vision’ is more effective
– Work backwards from the dream fulfilled
– Others’ plans can block your goals
– You don’t need to know everything about how it is going to happen in advance
– The most crucial piece is that you must believe

You Must Know What You Want

In my experience, many dreams fail because they are unclear. If you set sail from the Los Angeles Harbor with no goal in mind, you could find yourself at sea long after you run out of food and fresh water and no port in site. Your small business goals are the same. You must know where you want to go.

You Must Be Able To Visualize the Dream as Accomplished

Using your imagination, you put yourself into the goal as if you were presently living it. The clearer you can see, feel, hear and smell everything about the dream, the stronger your attraction power for making it happen. Whether it is your subconscious or some universal Law of Attraction, this degree of visualization is a powerful force for making it become a reality.

A Group ‘Vision’ Is More Effective

As seminar director for both local events and larger regional ones, I found that having a group that shares a common vision generates more energy on the achievement of the goal. When people ‘buy in’ to the vision, they work harder to make it happen.

Work Backwards From the Dream Fulfilled

Reaching a goal is more than just focusing on positive thoughts. There are two parts to this step. First, once you ‘see’ or ‘feel’ the goal, you need to plan backwards. What is the step right before achieving your goal? What is the step before that?

The second part is that you need to take action. If, for instance, you want to increase your profits by 20% next year, how are you going to do it? What are you planning to do differently?

Others’ Plans Can Block Your Goals

If someone else has plans counter to yours, their plans can block your goals. You may ‘see’ XYZ company signing that $50,000 contract. However, XYZ Company may want something else.

When I visualize achieving sales goals, I focus on the feeling of my ‘customers” buying because I deliver what they want. I feel the satisfaction from developing new customers or adding on business with existing customers. Those companies and people in harmony with my ‘vision’ will make the purchases needed.

You don’t need to know everything about how it is going to happen in advance

You must plan the actions you intend to take to get there but not specific names. For instance, if you intend to use the Internet to boost sales effectiveness, what social networking tools will you use? Do you have figures for what your traffic conversion rate will look like so you know how much traffic you need to attract?

The Most Crucial Piece Is That You Must Believe

The most crucial piece is that you must believe in your ability to bring this goal or dream into physical reality. More of my goals and dreams have crashed due to my inability to believe this one will fly. When I am confident I am going to do it, even if I don’t know the specifics yet of how, I reach those goals.

The seven points above are the laws I have found work for reaching my goals. By applying them to your small business goal setting efforts, you will see the company you want by the end of this next year.


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