A new year is upon us and we’re finally ready to kick 2020 to the curb!
January is a fantastic opportunity to sit down and review your business. How well did it perform last year? Where do you want to make changes and where do you want to take it in the next 12 months?
Once you’ve got your vision, then it’s time to set some goals! This may leave you feeling excited and raring to go, or it may leave you feeling a little daunted and unsure where to start.
WHY ARE GOALS SO IMPORTANT?
“An idea without a plan is nothing more than a dream.” – Steven A. Board.
Without clear, well-defined goals, it can be difficult to find a path from where you are now to where you want to be. Goals are a fab way to create clear, unambiguous direction for your business, so you can really prioritise your tasks.
It doesn’t matter how big or small your business is either – they all need goals!
This may seem obvious, but the more a goal motivates and excites you, the more likely you are to commit the time, effort and determination needed to make it happen, and the quicker you will be achieving your vision. Bear this in mind when you are starting out on your journey. Ask yourself, what am I going to be passionate about this year?
In this blog article, we’ve pulled together five top tips for getting started with your 2021 goal setting.
1. ONE STEP AT A TIME
You may have a few large, overreaching goals on your list. If so, stepping-stone goals can be an effective way of breaking these down into smaller, more tangible goals. This technique is a great way to avoid feeling overwhelmed, and it also helps you get clarity on where to spend your precious time, resources and energy. Just remember, the person who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones!
2. Be S.M.A.R.T!
Businesses love to set goals based on this common acronym, SMART. S=specific, M=measurable, A=achievable, R=relevant, and T=time-based. If you’ve never heard of it and are feeling confused already, let’s explore it in more detail!
Specific – goals should be clear, not wishy-washy vague ideas. If a goal is too ambiguous, how are you ever going to measure progress or know whether you have achieved it?
Measurable – define goals in terms of something you can quantify and measure.
Achievable – by their very nature goals are there to stretch us a little and take us out of our ‘comfort zone’, but they mustn’t be out of reach. Setting goals that are unattainable will only leave you feeling demoralised and could impact over areas of your professional and personal life.
Relevant – goals should be relevant to what you are trying to achieve.
Time-based – goals need a timeframe. This will help you define milestones and a deadline. It’s also an excellent way for you to visualise where you’re going and when you need to get there by.
Here are a few examples of SMART goals:
By the end of 2021, I will increase my turnover from £20,000 to £30,000.
I will win six new clients by the end of Q2.
· will increase customer reviews by 20% by the end of the year.
As you can see, all of these goals are super-clear, there is something to measure, and it is apparent what the deadline is.
3. MAKE YOUR GOALS PUBLIC
A useful technique for achieving your goals is to make them public. Being accountable to others is hugely motivating and having others onboard with you is a great way to set priorities and focus.
4. CREATE A PLAN
You’ve set some goals, now what? It’s time to formulate a plan! Dreams aren’t going to achieve themselves magically. You need to identify the who, what, when, where and how. There are various methods and tools out there to help you create and manage your plan. Find a medium that suits you and your business and isn’t overcomplicated.
5. MARK THE OCCASION!
When you have achieved one of your goals, don’t let it pass by without some sort of celebration! You will invest a lot of your time and energy into realising your goals, and this deserves to be recognised. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, a small treat for yourself can really help you to stay motivated as you continue to realise your 2021 dream!
ARE YOU READY TO MAKE 2021 YOUR BEST YEAR YET!
If you’re ready to make 2021 one of amazing possibilities, then how about considering running an online course? Creating an online course can give you extra streams of income for your business, as well as more certainty for the future.
Take a look at our How to Create an Online course program here.
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