Goal Setting and Planning for Business Entrepreneurs

Goal setting

Why do so many people struggle to achieve goals? There are many reasons, but one of the most important is lack of constant re-enforcement and reminding that a goal exists. The way to achieve re-enforcement is to simply write the goal down. Specific written goals take a life of their own and have a much greater ability of becoming a reality.

Here’s how you set goals :

1) Look at your written down vision and life purpose. What smaller goals would help you to eventually reach your ultimate life ambition? What skills will you need?

• Raising capital
• Asking for donations
• Public speaking
• Book writing

2) Think about what ‘smaller’ goals you would like to achieve in your life too.

For example, becoming a famous musician might not be your vision or life purpose, but you would like to learn how to play the guitar.

Use S.M.A.R.T. goals

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Realistic

Time – frame

The S.M.A.R.T. acronym above is a tool to assist you to be more specific in your goal setting. For example; don’t just write down that you want to be rich. Here is a more definite statement :

I will own three residential houses with a combined worth of 1.4 Million dollars by Jan 2012.

See the difference? The goal is detailed, not only ‘real estate’ is mentioned, but a specific type of real-estate – ‘residential’. Also the goal value can be measured (by a real-estate valuer), is achievable, realistic and has a specific time of completion.

Here are two templates you can use to help you set your goals :

• Life planning and goals – Achievements (for you last year)
• Life planning and goals – New goals (for you this year)