Goal Setting Advice – Go Big or Go Home and other Wisdom

Most people only talk about goals around the beginning of a new year but I have learned much more about goals the past six months and wanted to share my insight with you today.

In entrepreneurship we must set goals for our business plans when it comes to projections in revenue, number of customers, marketing and sales. We set them. We envision them. But often we aren’t really excited to achieve them because we know there is no one holding our feet to the fire wondering if we will. Time goes on and we hit part of our goals but most times we wander off into other duties before accomplishing them.

After I committed to run in the Boston Marathon on a Charity bib and knowing I had to raise $7,261 by April 5th and run 26.2 miles on April 17th, I learned how the intensity of a really big goal can motivate you. I shared these tips about what makes goals easier to attain at an event in Albany yesterday:

* The more audacious the goal, the more confidence you need to achieve it. You must believe 100% you can hit your target before you even take it on.

* Setting a deadline date is imperative to a goal’s completion. The looming date will energize you everyday to do at least one thing to get closer to the goal knowing the days are counting down.

* Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable becomes normal whether its running an extra 5 miles more than you thought you could, asking for a higher pay raise or going after a large new customer account. When you do something repetitively it just becomes habit.

* Having other people invested in your goal will motivate you and inspire them to keep you motivated. Other expectations can fuel your desire to slow down or stop. When you contemplate the people who have believed in you, you find the deep level push you need to complete the task.

* Belief in you is always of utmost importance in accomplishing anything big. When you have self doubt, push it away and remember why you thought you could do the goal to begin with. Keep your reasons close by to review anytime doubt surfaces.