Goal Setting that Works


By Mark S.A. Smith

RIGHT NOW is a great time to set goals, and set your motivation. Here is a process that you can use to create goals that make a difference for you.Your goals must have meaning for you. Your odds of failing are greater if you're trying to reach someone else's goals. Use this exercise to define your success for the upcoming months.

Sit back, relax, and imagine yourself one year into the future, looking back on today. What was it that you decided to do that made you so successful? Perhaps it was that you decided to invest a certain amount of money (money success isn't about how much you make, but how much you keep). Perhaps it was that you decided to own a certain car, home, or other luxury. Perhaps it was that you were able to take your dream vacation. What ever it was, define what created your feeling of success and satisfaction.Wasn't that a fun exercise! Write down that success vision and attach a copy to your calendar a year into the future, so that you can go back and check on your of success at year end.Create a step-by-step action plan. Write it down along with your success vision for the year. Break down the plan into smaller pieces that you can accomplish in 15 minutes a day.

Perhaps it means increasing your performance at work by 5 percent by going in 15 minutes earlier. Perhaps it means going to evening classes once a week to gain a new skill. Perhaps it means turning off the TV a half hour earlier so that you can review investment opportunities.While your goals should be a bit of a stretch, make sure that you can accomplish them. There's no sense in setting a goal to win the Boston Marathon if you haven't run a mile since high school. Yet you probably can increase your fitness so that you can run a 5k race this summer.

You must be able to measure your goal. What will you use to gage how you're doing? Perhaps you'll use your savings account as your gage, getting ready for the down payment on that new car.Create interesting ways to track how well you're doing and stay focused on achieving your goals. Will you make a little thermometer and color it in? Will you have a little grid and check off your success? Will you have a little racecar that you move around a track as you stay on track? This may seem goofy, yet you'll discover that this little trick works magic in keeping you motivated.

Build little celebrations into your plan. It could be as simple as a candy bar or as wonderful as a massage or a celebratory lunch at your favorite restaurant. Celebrations keep you motivated to see your success vision become reality. Don't reward yourself until you deserve the reward.© MMVII Mark S.A. Smith. All rights reserved. Reuse encouraged and permission granted when including this copyright notice and contact information. http://www.OCEinc.com

Mark founded Outsource Channel Executives Inc. (OCE, Inc) in 2003 to serve clients who were looking for ways to successfully take their products and services to market. After 22 years of working in and with high-tech sales and marketing channels, Mark identified that channel success depended on building value, driving demand, forming a powerful network, and protecting profits. A recognized business expert, Mark co-authored Guerrilla Negotiating, Guerrilla TeleSelling, and Guerrilla Trade Show Selling.


More Resources

Success Secrets - What I, Mike Litman Learned From This Old Book
Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day in New York and yes, I spent it alone :}.My wife left for lunch with some old friends at 11:30 and a bunch of my friends were busy.
Delivery Companies Make the Grade
In the United States we have the most efficient delivery service companies in the world. This is because the free market competitive system has pushed entrepreneurs to become more efficient to make more profit and to keep costs down.
Protect Your ASSets in Business
Many people are starting an online business without a thought about the danger this may pose to their personal assets. The type of protection you need depends upon the nature of your business and the amount of your personal assets.
Use Your Youth To Your Advantage
You should wait until you're older and have more business and real-world experience before starting a business. You should just focus on school for now.
The Heroic Entrepreneur: Profiting from Your Brilliance
If you look up the definition of hero in Webster's, you'll find a definition something like, 'A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war'. Some heroes in our lives have earned that badge of honor by doing something everyone feels is heroic as defined in the traditional sense, whether it's running into a burning building to rescue a child, pulling an injured woman from a car accident, or fighting the enemy in the time of war.
Pre-Money vs. Post-Money Valuation
When a company decides that it must raise capital, a key question that must be answered is how much the company is worth. For example, if the business needs $500,000 to get started and/or grow, how much of the equity in that company should $500,000 command? Once this question is answered, the company will go out and try to find investors.
The Secrets to Becoming a Successful Creative Entrepreneur: JJK Secrets #19-21
Hello Creative Entrepreneurs!Welcome to the e-class on Creativity & Entrepreneurship: The Creative Evolution of an Intellectual Property©. Let's start with the thought for the day:When you find the destiny for which you were born, all you need to bring is your courage, your honor and your commitment! From the movie North and South.I love this quote! It says it all.
Business Is No Guarantee of Riches
Q: I'm thinking about starting a business since that seems to be how most rich people get rich. I don't have any business experience or much money, but I'm a fast learner and have lots of energy.
Franchises - Emotional Fulfillment - Control Your Destiny
Does A Franchise Meet Your Needs?When you think of becoming a businessperson by making the transition from employee to Franchisee, you don't generally think in terms of emotional fulfillment. However, in reality, the evaluation of emotional factors should play a significant role in making that final decision to join the world of the capitalist, or remain in the realm of employee.
Could a Book About Your Company be Worth $1.7 Billion? Building Value Through Publishing
"Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) to purchase Clayton Homes for $12.
Become a Recognized Authority in Your Field - in 60 Days or Less!
You don't have to be rock-star famous before you are recognized as an authority in your field. You just have to begin to get the word out.
Franchisor Sample Grand Opening Launch for New Franchised Outlets
It is paramount that all franchising companies work hard in the critical launching of all franchises in their new territories. In this present period most franchisees come into the franchise systems with much personal debt and barely squeak by on their initial capital needed.
Bonsai Marketing
Site location analysis of regional service areas and planning for mobile businesses is just as important as choosing a fixed site for any business. The region must be scouted out whether you are simply adding another service unit or deciding to open an entire new marketing area.
Can a Microbusiness Help You Enjoy a Better Retirement?
Not having enough money for a comfortable retirement tops thelist of financial concerns among aging Americans, according to a recent Gallup Poll. It even outweighs peoples' worries about having a serious illness or accident.
Competitive Edge
In his book, The Road Ahead, Bill Gates of Microsoft writes of "friction-free capitalism" made possible by developments in communications, chief among them the Internet and its World Wide Web. In this context, "friction" is everything that keeps markets from functioning as the "perfect competition" of economics textbooks.
New Rules
Last week I was working with one of my small business clients, a bright and dynamic woman who's passionate about positioning her artisan business for growth. We were talking about her financial picture and forecasting robust sales over the next three years.
How To Get More Clients and Customers; Dont Sell Be of Service
Whether you are just starting your business or focusing on growing it, I'm sure you are like most small business owners you are looking for ways to get more clients and customers. There is a lot of information out there on selling, persuasion tactics, and gimmicks to get people to buy.
Goals and New Venture Creation
More and more corporate workers are leaving their jobs to start new ventures. When taking this leap, it is important that the goals of these entrepreneurs are solid, as these goals may ultimately determine the success of the new venture.
For Business SUCCESS... Listen To The Voices of Experience
Discover the pitfalls of owning your own business BEFORE..
Selecting a Venture
The basic rule is simple: "Find a market need and fill it!" The process of finding the need, and the method chosen to fill it are where the difficulties arise.Based on our opportunity scan, does the market need a product or service that is not currently being provided? Is there a needed product or service currently being provided in a less than satisfactory way? Is some particular market being underserved due to capacity shortages or location gaps? Can we serve any of these needs with some competitive advantage?Remember that a business idea is not a business opportunity until it is evaluated objectively and judged to be feasible.

More Entrepreneurialism Information:

Related Articles

Does It Really Take Money To Make Money (Online or Offline)? A Reality-Check of 2 Case Studies
The short and simple answer to this question is NO!Now, before you start screaming that I am crazy, out of my mind, have lost my marbles and all the other things that generally get tossed around when someone has the nerve to state something like that, let me clear a few things up.It does not take a monetary investment to get your business off the ground (aside from the everyday items you already have around your house).
Be an Entrepreneur
The Department of Labor predicts that the #1 employer in 2010 will be "self." A recent Internet poll of 25-44 year olds revealed that 90% of them hoped to own their own business.
Solo Mojo for Solo Entrepreneurs --- Where's Your Juice?
I recently read a magazine article about Andrew, a 42-year old businessman. He gave up a demanding law practice in the Northeast, moved South to launch a new furniture and interior-design store, and wrote his first fiction novel in the midst of that transition.
A Dorm Room With A View
As a senior in high school, he paid cash for a BMW with money made by selling newspapers. In 1983, as a college freshman, he sold custom-made PCs and parts out of his dorm room?hiding them behind his roommate's shower curtain whenever Mom and Dad visited.
The History of the Franchise Business - Learning about Business Opportunities by Looking at the Past
Hair care has been around as long as humans have been on the planet. The earliest record of personal hair care dates back 2.
Motivation and Commitment
Why do people start small businesses? The most frequently cited motivation for business start-ups is to allow the entrepreneur to achieve independence; money is secondary. Is this surprising? The other reasons named most often are that an opportunity presented itself, a person took over the family business, or the person simply wanted to be an entrepreneur.
Find Out If You WILL Be Successful As a Franchisee?
Will I be successful as a franchisee?One of the soundest pieces of advice to take when considering becoming a franchisee is to 'Assess Yourself'. Assess whether you can accept direction.
Outcomes - Thats What You Need to Focus On
Successful business owners and managers need to be veryclear about what outcomes they want. Whether you call them goals, objectives or targets, theseare the factors that you're ultimately judged on.
Corporate Espionage in Franchising
Franchising Trade Journals do not do well, because today with all the industry regulations only about 1800 active franchise actually exist in the US. Down sharply over the past five years.
The 5 Senses of an Entrepreneur
If you have seen me speak you will know that I believe the word 'entrepreneur' is used way too much these days. People seem to wear it as a badge instead of just getting out there and doing entrepreneurial things.
Work vs Play: Which is the Better Way to Make Big Money?
If you want to make big money, you have to play not to work."What do you mean by that?" You ask.
Entrepreneurial Traits that Drive Sales
Frequently overlooked and hidden deep within our marketing tool box is the ultimate marketing vehicle for your business - you! Many small business owners are so busy figuring out how to increase sales and revenue they forget to grow themselves as business owners. If you aren't evolving yourself, aren't you being counterproductive to your business development? Marketing our businesses isn't just about what ads to buy or what networking event to go to next; it's about us as people, as entrepreneurs.
Six Steps to Guarantee Your Business Success
Many of us slave away for years for one uninspiring company after another and dream of the day when we can sack the boss and go it alone.If you're contemplating starting your own business then I'm here cheering you on from the sidelines because the best decision I ever made was to walk away from my well paid but oh so frustratingly boring job and start my own business from scratch.
Entrepreneurship as Your Passion
Entrepreneurship has been my passion for as long as I can commit to memory to learning how to type, and that started in 5th grade! Strangely enough, I wasn't raised around lots of business owners growing up in New Jersey nor surrounded by many business-minded individuals.Initially, my passion was expressed through the notion that extra money can be made while working a corporate job.
Oil Change Guys History; Part I
How do franchise companies come to be? How do they start. What type of a person or entrepreneur becomes a franchisor? Below is the story of how one small company became a franchisor in the mobile oil change business.
Learn how to Compress Time
In the popular 1980's movie "Dune," man learned that by "folding space" the distance between two points shortened and he could cover those distances faster. Around 1995, we found a substance that could bend time in the business community -- it was called Venture Capital.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Isn't enthusiasm a good thing? Aren't we urged to be enthusiasticabout what we do? To be committed?We are..
Business Start Up Tips From Some Hearty Entrepreneurs
When's the last time someone asked you: "What's new?"If you're starting or growing a business, an e-business, or a web site, the answer is: "Everything!" - especially on the inside.Face it, launching a new enterprise - or taking it to the next level - can sometimes feel scary and overwhelming.
Selecting a Venture
The basic rule is simple: "Find a market need and fill it!" The process of finding the need, and the method chosen to fill it are where the difficulties arise.Based on our opportunity scan, does the market need a product or service that is not currently being provided? Is there a needed product or service currently being provided in a less than satisfactory way? Is some particular market being underserved due to capacity shortages or location gaps? Can we serve any of these needs with some competitive advantage?Remember that a business idea is not a business opportunity until it is evaluated objectively and judged to be feasible.
Vendor Relations
Communication is the key to vendor relations. In your small business, you will be in need of many products and services.