How to set goals that you can accomplish!

By Ardis Bazyn
Bazyn Communication

At the beginning of each year, it's very important to set GOALS especially if you have a business. However, just writing them down is not going to work unless you actually have a plan of action. First, I'd recommend jotting down a list of ALL the goals you would like to achieve in 2007.

Your goals could include: starting a newsletter, improving your data base system, adding new content to your web site, increasing sales 10 percent by the end of the year, or developing a new marketing plan. You may also want to include some personal goals. It is likely those might affect the outcome of your business goals.

It's a good idea to limit the number of your goals to five or six. Setting too many goals will make the list of action steps too long and you might get discouraged before you have a chance to start. By choosing the most important goals first, you will be able to achieve them. Once you've reached those goals, you can always add more goals from your original list.

Setting goals is relatively easy. The hardest task is creating a realistic action plan that you can follow. This map or guide should include a summary of all your goals, a list of the actions needed to accomplish them, specific time-lines or dates when tasks need to be finished, and a list of tasks to be executed along the way.

Once you've decided on your main goals, do everything possible to achieve them. You should be able to focus your mind on your new concrete plan of action, since it will provide you with some clear direction. Of course, you should review your progress regularly to make sure you are attaining your objectives. In this way, you will be able to notice any potential obstacles or problem areas before they stop your plans completely.

You should reward yourself periodically to keep motivated. Give yourself a pat on the back or plan a celebration at the end of a task. It will make you feel good about your achievements. It will energize you for your next steps.

Running a business on your own can be stressful. Getting support from a coach, or even just an online forum, can help you out during those times you have difficulty planning what to do next. Having someone to use as a sounding board, to give you feedback, or just to make you feel accountable can be invaluable. Support can be your key to getting started.

Looking at the past year is the first step towards setting your goals for the next one. What are the successes that you had? Did anything fail? What lessons, good and bad, did you learn? The key to setting good goals for the new year is to build on your successes and learn from your mistakes. You need to use this knowledge to benefit your business. Achieving goals should be an enjoyable and satisfying experience, and using these tips should help you get there!

Copyright © January, 2007; Bazyn Communications: www.bazyncommunications.com. All rights reserved.

-- Read other helpful tips to promote your business in my third book: BUILDING BLOCKS TO SUCCESS: Does the Image of Your Business Attract Customers or Motivate Employees?

Order print copies from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Borders as well as from my website. Currently, other formats are available from my website only.