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Part 2<\/h2>\n
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T<\/span>o ascertain achievable goals and accomplish them, you\u2019ll have to do a little pre-analysis. If you don\u2019t know where you\u2019ve been, and where you actually are, then planning and implementing achievable goals for the future will be harder than it has to be.<\/p>\n To start, we have do an analysis. Ask yourself, \u201cWhat are the current trends in my marketplace? Who is my competition? What am I doing better than my competitors and what are they doing better than me? What are my business\u2019 strengths and weakness? What is my monthly capital outlay and profit?\u00a0 How much extra capital do I have? What does my business need? What do I want for my business? What do I need for my business? What are the obstacles in my way?\u201c This analysis gives you insight into the opportunities you can use to build and attain realistic goals.<\/p>\n HINT: When doing the analysis, make sure you remember there are no emotions in evaluating your business. Don\u2019t come from your ego. Your business is its own entity. So go beyond just yourself, as well as your wants and needs. Evaluate everything from the business\u2019 own perspective to survive and thrive.<\/p>\n What is a Realistic Goal<\/strong><\/p>\n Realistic goals help you not only get what you want, but increases what you can achieve. So what exactly is a realistic goal? It is specific, relevant, achievable, able to be measured and set for a specific time frame.<\/p>\n Specific:<\/strong> You are identifying your business intention here so you must be as specific as possible by clearly and concisely defining what you want to accomplish and what the desired outcome will be.<\/p>\n Relevant:<\/strong> Remember to align your goals with your business\u2019s mission statement while making sure that the goal helps your business grow and succeed.<\/p>\n Achievable:<\/strong> Make sure you have the resources, time and capability to achieve your goals while stretching your limits in a new way.<\/p>\n Measurable:<\/strong> Establish measurements \u00a0and benchmarks to track your progress which allows you to measure your performance against your goals.<\/p>\n Time Specific:<\/strong> Set a deadline to achieve your goal and the tasks of your goal which helps you quantify results, stay focused and makes you accountable.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a realistic goal example using a weight loss plan: \u201cI want to lose five pounds (specific and achievable) so I can look good in that swim suit for the beach party (relevant) in two weeks (time specific) and I will weigh myself every day (measurable) to make sure I am on track.\u201d<\/p>\n Now here\u2019s an example of an unrealistic goal using the weight loss scenario\u2026 \u201cI want to lose lots of weight (unspecific), maybe 100 pounds in one week (unachievable, time specific) so I can look good all the time (not relevant) and not have to do anything to accomplish that (not measurable).\u201d It would be nice if that could happen, but the reality is it most likely won\u2019t. So don\u2019t waste your time and energy on unrealistic goals.<\/p>\n Setting & Planning Goals<\/strong><\/p>\n Setting goals is not only good for your personal life, but almost mandatory to breathe new life and direction into your business. When you set a new goal it helps you focus, produces new directed energy towards your business, triggers new learning and new behaviors. It also helps guides your focus and sustain momentum in life.<\/p>\n Setting business goals requires a conscious and subconscious process. At the very least, setting goals increases productivity and motivation to enhance your business for both you and your employees.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re an entrepreneur or own a retail store and your goal is to build a profitable business, then your goal system should include the sales and marketing processes. If you don\u2019t know about sales and marketing basics then do your research. You can even look for someone, or a like-minded community, who has already achieved similar goals and ask them for advice.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, to do realize goal setting requires consideration of what is around you, the resources you have and the resources you need. Many times we set the right goals, but don\u2019t have the backend system to support it or we don\u2019t take action. For example, you run an ad and you\u2019re overrun with customers, but don\u2019t have enough inventory on hand or enough cashiers to process all the orders. So a bit of preplanning beforehand helps you set achievable goals and assists you to make consistent progress towards accomplishing them \u2013 without impediments getting in your way.<\/p>\n Your specific goal plan is actually helping you execute your intentions. They include the what, where, when and how you intend to accomplish each goal. Then you\u2019ll create a specific, realistic schedule with tasks needed to accomplish each of your goals. Remember to prioritize and put those tasks in a specific order.<\/p>\n Research has shown that you are more likely to stick to your goals if you make a specific task detailed plan. \u00a0Let\u2019s go back to the weight loss scenario as a task example\u2026\u201dI will do aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes on Tuesday at 7 a.m. at the gym.\u201d<\/p>\n When you have set your goals and have your detailed task plan remember you want to push hard enough towards the goal, however not so hard so that you can\u2019t continue the momentum of your overall plan.<\/p>\n Implementing & Supervising Goals<\/strong><\/p>\n Using \u2018strategy\u2019 is actually the process of turning your goal and task plan into action. It\u2019s the way you get stuff done. It\u2019s also the way to communicate your plan and expectations for yourself and\/or your team so there is no confusion and so everyone is on the same page. You can ask for your team\u2019s collaboration before implementing your task plan.<\/p>\n Before implementing your plan determine the roles and responsibilities, then delegate the tasks of your goal plan to the appropriate individual. Set milestones and a timeline for each step. If you have a team, this is where you effectively communicate your plan to them and make sure you include accountability for each task.<\/p>\n One final thought, make sure you align your effort or your team\u2019s effort, resources and performance to relate to your business goals so you create a shared sense of purpose.<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s time to execute your goal plan. Remember to focus on one goal at a time. Here\u2019s a story to illustrate why this principle works. I call it the hose theory. Imagine you\u2019re trying to move a small stone on the sidewalk with water from a hose. The water\u2019s force coming from the hose is strong, so the stone moves quickly. Now imagine that the hose is attached to a sprinkler and you\u2019re trying to move that same stone \u2014 it moves more slowly, if at all, since the water\u2019s force is divided into separate weaker streams.\u00a0 Just replace the \u2018stone\u2019 with your goal and the hose and\/or sprinkler as your focused thoughts. Focusing on one goal at a time gets the goal accomplished faster.<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s time to monitor and supervise your progress and performance. This gives you the opportunity to adjust or revise your tasks or take corrective action if necessary.<\/p>\n Constantly check your progress. If you have a team, check in with them often and listen to the results of your team\u2019s progress. Don\u2019t forget to ask for, and listen to, their feedback. \u00a0Remember to provide continued support for yourself and\/or your team and it is important to acknowledge every victory no matter how big or small.<\/p>\n Stay passionate and persevere \u2013 no matter what.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Working with the Universe<\/strong><\/p>\n Now I am going to say something that will seem to make no sense, but it will if you are spiritual or seeking spirituality. There\u2019s an odd balance to success and also in setting realistic goals.<\/p>\n Be careful when you put your realistic goals to work. Go through your planning stage in minute detail. However, after you are done planning and are taking action to put those goals into the Universe for actualization, try not to set expectations, significance, attitudes or feelings on the outcome because that makes even realistic goals rigid and can actually prevent them from happening. This is because it actually creates a paradox or contradiction in the brain that affects you and the energy around you which will stop your realistic goals from happening before they begin. Don\u2019t focus on the results, focus on the supportive action steps you need to accomplish your goal. Don\u2019t try to control the outcome \u2013 just know it will happen. If things go wrong or not exactly as you planned, don\u2019t get negative \u2013 look for what it is trying to teach you and adjust your actions.\u00a0 Don\u2019t let your ego get involved in the process thinking you can make it happen \u2014 just feel it will happen. Finally just trust in the process and it will happen.<\/p>\n I myself, a former engineer, make my plan in the utmost detail, including action details and all possible outcome step by step. When I\u2019m done I put the plan aside and do the actions items while tracking my milestones. I feel, know and trust that my goals are energetically happening no matter what \u2014 and they are \u2014 and they always happen exactly the right way for me. Feel, know and trust that yours will too.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n