We all know how much easier it is to set goals than to take the action to achieve them. Goal achievement is much harder than goal setting. The follow through to achieve your goals takes effort and focus.
Therefore, don’t bother setting goals unless you are willing to apply these 7 tips to achieve them. Apply them to every goal you set and you will transform the results.
#1 Take Smart Action
Once you set a goal, don’t be tempted to dilute it to something easier to achieve. Keep the big goals. The question is simply: what’s the next step? Your job is always to focus on the one next step you have to take to achieve that goal – not the whole plan to get there, just the next step. This keeps you focused, taking concrete action, eliminating the fear and overwhelm.
#2 Be Audacious
That is, be bold, daring and fearless in your determination and creativity to achieve your goals. It takes the same effort and drive to achieve modest goals as it does to achieve much bigger goals. So you will benefit more from goals to massively increase sales, revenue, clients, visibility, etc than from just modest year over year increments.
#3 Do Whatever It Takes
Have The Passion to drive you to achieve your goals even when you’d rather take a break, or when you hit roadblocks. ‘Short term sacrifice for long life success.’ It’s about choices. The goal must be bigger than you, pulling you forward.
We all have days when we are tempted to second guess our dreams and goals. That’s when the emotion in the pit of your stomach has to be so strong and compelling that you can’t walk away, you have to do ‘whatever it takes’ to achieve it now.
#4 Be Committed
Be Committed not just to the goal you set but more importantly to achieving the goal, seeing it realized. That commitment is essential. It is a source of drive and inspiration to keep you focused. You will find that commitment where your business goals and your personal core values are aligned.
#5 Be Decisive
Take action towards your goals every day. Theodore Roosevelt said: “In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”
On the flip side, I say: ‘Procrastination is poison.’ If you are tempted to procrastinate, catch yourself and ask: What is one thing I can do right now, even if I can’t complete the next direct step? Maybe it’s a call, research, review of progress so far to see if there’s another way to the next step. That exercise is a process you want to make a habit so you become consistently decisive.
#6 Develop Bounce-back-ability
You may call it resilience, resolve, or resourcefulness. It’s all about developing a thick skin where your goals are concerned. It’s demonstrating (not just talking about) the tenacity of the mantra: ‘Failure is not an option.’ As a solo entrepreneur or the leader of a team, you must lead by example. Everyone is watching you, and how you respond to adversity. It’s not how many times you fall down, but how many times you get back up.
#7 Ask For Help Early And Often
Don’t go it alone. I can attest that this is hard for entrepreneurs, we’re very independent by nature. Yet, the sooner you reach out to experts and ask for help, the faster and easier you’ll achieve your goals.
About the Author
THE Goal Achievement Expert, Kerri Salls, Breakthrough Enterprise http://breakthroughenterprise.com helps high-achieving business owners and entrepreneurs build a strong foundation for growth to achieve breakthrough results.