Basic Goal-Setting Principles

Goal setting is everywhere in our world. We set goals for our careers, our health, and our lives in general. It seems modern society is always encouraging us to think about the next milestone. Goals are the target at which we aim our proverbial arrow at.

With that in mind, I wanted to offer some basic goal-setting principles I follow in my own practice:

Write Down Your Goals

You’ve probably heard it… and read it a million times – Write down your goals!

But let me ask you… Are you writing them down?

If not, then maybe this might finally get you to do so… and it’s not so much for me – but for you.

You see, when you right down your goals they then become tangible. By putting them on paper you can see them and touch them. But when you’re writing down your goals you want to be specific… but more importantly realistic.

No, you’re not going to build a million-dollar business by the end of the week or even the end of the year. But you can be earning $100-a-day in your business within 2 to 3 months!

Once you’ve written down your goals, write them down again and again each day. Spend a few minutes feeling all the emotion that goes with achieving your goals. See yourself doing it. Besides taking consistent action on your goals, visualizing their achievement is the most important step in goal getting, yet it’s the part most people leave out. You must see yourself and feel yourself achieving your goals in order to make them happen.

Do you know what else you need to do?

Break Those Goals Down into Incremental Steps

Have a goal for each day!

It doesn’t have to be a big goal. The point isn’t to build your business in a week; it’s to make progress every single day.

If your goal for the week is to, “Get my business up and running,” you’re not going to do it.

But if your goal for the day is to, “Research profitable niches, choose one and buy a domain name,” you can do that.

Are you still stalling?

Okay, break the goal down even further and just research profitable niches today. Tomorrow you choose one niche and commit to it, along with writing down 20 possible domains that are available. Day 3 you make your domain choice, buy it and set up hosting.

See how this works?

Thinking about the entire-end-goal all at once is overwhelming. But taking baby steps…You can do this!

Focus on Your Strengths

There are going to be some things that you’re really good at –yeah!! And there are naturally some things that you aren’t good at. It’s just the way it is.

But what you do about it can make all the difference. If you choose a business model that works well with your strengths, then you’re well ahead of the game. And if you also outsource those things that you’re not good at, then you’re going to make progress much faster.

I see many marketers who get hung up on some stupid details like setting up a website. They could outsource the work and have it done in a day. But instead they spend a month stressing over it, like it’s this giant cross they have to bear. It’s crazy!

If you don’t know how to do something, get someone who is a pro at it so you can cross it off your list and move forward.

Execute as You Learn

While building your business, you’re probably doing some things for the first time. You could learn all about them, become an expert, consult others, do some research, outsource, second guess your outsourcer, do more research…

Yes, I see people getting this bogged down in learning new things. Except of course their real obstacle isn’t learning something new, it’s being afraid they’ll make a mistake or won’t do the job perfectly. Forget all that.

I want you to imagine that your loved one has been kidnapped. You have “X” amount of time get your business up and running or they are dead. Now then, are you going to sweat the details, or are you simply going to DO what needs to be done?

Do NOT try to learn the entire business and then get started. Instead, execute as you learn. You don’t need to see the entire road to drive the first mile –you only need to see as far as the next bend in the road. When you get to that bend, you’ll adjust your steering and keep going.

There you go.

Now you can get cracking on those goals you have in your head.

Get them outta your head and down on paper.

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success. ― Pablo Picasso

If you enjoyed this post, I’d be very grateful if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook.

Plus, If you’ve had some WINS… by all means please share them in the comments section below, I’d love to hear about them.

Thank you!