I like GOALS. I have always believed that goals help people reach their potential. If you don’t know where you are going, chances are you may actually get there.
Are you happy with where your business is going? Are you happy with what you “take home” for all the work you do? If not, it’s time to set some goals! I set a huge goal for my practice for April and we finally hit the goal at 4:35pm on the last day of the month. Not only did I set the goal, but I actually believed that it was attainable! The staff was a bit skeptical as the clock ticked by and the schedule did not show much promise for any additional revenue but I absolutely never doubted that we would reach the goal. Sure enough, a check arrived and we not only hit the goal, but we exceeded it! 4:35pm on April 30 what seemed to be an unattainable vision became a reality.
Some of my friends and colleagues think I’m a bit overly obsessed with goal setting but for me, goals help drive me and my business. A key reason many people don’t set goals is that they don’t spend enough time thinking about what they really want. They are absolutely content with letting the “chips fall where they may”. Goal setting can serve as a powerful motivator to turn what seems like an outrageous vision into a reality. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts and can spend time directed at very specific activities designed to help you achieve your goal.
The process of goal setting can force us to think through our desires and motivate us to work harder to get what we really want out of life. The key to goal setting is that the goals should be specific and measureable. I have had a goal for at least ten years to “lose some weight”. I’ve lost “some” alright – the same five over and over again. You can’t measure what isn’t specific.
Of course, the goal of any business is to be profitable. Written goals help keeps things on track. At the end of each month, I review my numbers and compare where I wanted to be with where I am. If business is off track, I dig in and determine what I need to do differently next month to reach my goals.
Most people set their goals way too low because they are afraid of “failure”. Hey, you can never reach for the stars if you are too afraid to stretch. My Mother used to say that I was the girl who wanted it all! She was right and I always believed that any star was reachable if you worked hard enough and believed you could get there. If you dream it, you can achieve it.
Most people have goals that they would like to accomplish in life. Perhaps it’s getting into better shape, building a successful business, raising a wonderful family, writing a best-selling book, or winning a sports challenge. Don’t be afraid to Go For It!
It’s a new month! Set some specific and measureable goals for May and then put every effort forward to achieve them. I bet you will be amazed at what you are truly capable of.