A guest post by Elan Pfalzgraf from DirectSalesResource.com, who can also be found on Twitter, A very well written post on the vital key to success, setting goals. Over to Elan;
Whether you are working in direct sales, internet marketing, or just running your own business that offers a service, goals are a very important step to success. When getting started with your business, you should set realistic goals for intervals of time throughout your first week, month, year, or even decade.
Why is it so important to set goals for yourself? Well, without goals, you have nothing to strive for and nothing to measure your progress with. When I started out in direct sales, I made sure one of the first steps I completed with each new business I started was writing down my goals on a chart. I charted out my goals for my first week, my first month, and my first year. At each interval I would take a couple hours and write down my progress, measure it with my goal, and decide where to go from there. If I was exceeding my goals, I knew I was working towards my ultimate success. On the other hand, if I had not reached my goal during this time-frame, I would create a plan of action as to how I need to improve my business and what steps were necessary to get on the right track to my next goal.
Throughout your first month and even your first year, you can record your progress and compare it to your goals and it will give you a look into the future of your business. What I mean is, that if you see that you have exceeded each goal, from your first week, to your first month, to your first quarter, then you know with the work you are putting into your business that you are on your way to a successful business in the long run. Now, if you notice your constantly behind in your goals each week or each month, then this helps you realize that you need to make some changes to make sure you can meet your goals in the long run. Think of your goals and chart as a “business crystal ball”.
Create your plan, your goals, and your success will follow. Use your “business crystal ball” to ensure your success in the long run and inspire yourself to get better each and every week as your business grows.
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I agree with the importance of goal setting. I myself struggled with it for years, thinking that setting goals was somehow tying myself down and being too restrictive for a creative person. But my change in thinking happened when someone said to me that if I was driving from Dublin to Cork, I would know where to start and where to finish, but if I didn’t use a map and plan my journey (petrol stops, coffee breaks etc.) I might spend a lot of time and energy wandering through the countryside “in the direction” of Cork, instead of taking the most useful, stress-free route. That made sense to me then, and it still does. Thanks for your post.
Hi Daria, Yeah Totally agree, I need goals and guidance.