I have worked with hundreds of businesses over the years and one thing is evident, those that have a plan, a calendar, and goals do better than those who don’t.
Are you drifting and directed by the tyranny of the urgent?
What happens when a business does not plan is that important opportunities are missed. Let me give you an example. If your business has a significant increase of activity in spring, that may be an important time to advertise for you. But, if you are distracted and have no plan you may miss important deadlines for this critical time in your business. For example if you wanted to advertise in REACH Magazine or Housetrends Magazine in April and you only just thought of it around the second week of March, guess what, you missed all the deadlines and the magazines are out being printed so they will arrive in homes as scheduled. Your competitors will have the advantage of reaping the rewards of timely advertising.
If you have no calendar so that you can look ahead, you will constantly feel like you are playing catch up. You will feel that many urgent matters are dominating your choices, but that the important things that can make your company grow (these things may be less urgent, but more important) get ignored or missed.
Here are the two things that I recommend
NUMBER ONE: Get a nice notebook and whenever you think of something that is a goal, WRITE IT DOWN.
NUMBER TWO: Get a blank calendar and transfer the first step for each goal onto the calendar well in advance of the target date.
These two things can have a significant impact on your business in 2012. When you write down your goals, your subconscious mind starts working on them. You will soon be putting an “x” by completed goals that you have had for years, but which in the past, you never wrote down. By having a calendar, you can add in things like publication deadlines and target advertising times for your business. As you look ahead you will find time to work on the important things for your business and you will be less stressed because you know what’s coming. You can keep urgent matters from completely pulling you away from the important matters and you will feel less stressed and more in control.
Getting closer to those you love
Here is another powerful idea. Every now and then when you go out to dinner with your wife, pull out your goals book and tell her some of the goals you have for your business this year. But, don’t stop there, ask her what goals she has and write them into your book as well. I do this with my wife and since we have two different careers, it really helps us to stay on the same page with each other. It can lead to some intimate and personal discussions about the future and where you are going together as a couple. Things like discussions about remodeling the kitchen or financing college for the kids or a vacation to a particular place can be written into your goals book to discuss further. Now from time to time, we are putting an “x” by completed goals that we both have shared together. Being a business owner does not mean that you need to grow apart from the important people in your life.
Goals can change
Goals in your notebook are written in stone. If you need to change them you can do that. Most goals have to be adjusted from time to time. I hear way too many people who say they can never write down their goals because they are afraid they may fail. What I have found is that some goals change because your direction has changed, others you realize are too lofty and you have to change them in some respects to make them achievable. There is nothing wrong with having lofty goals. The difference between a goal and a dream is the reality of writing down your goals makes them change, whereas a dream that never makes it on to paper is just a dream. It will pop up now and then as a dream, but it will slip away as you forget to work on it because you never wrote it down.
Peter DeMott • REACH Magazine in Dayton, Ohio • pdemott@REACHusa.com • 937-478-6222
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