People who write down their goals, share them with a friend and send weekly updates to them are 33 percent more successful in accomplishing their goals than those who just conceptualize them, according to Gail Matthews, a professor at Dominican University of California. Her takeaway from the study shows the effectiveness of accountability, commitment and writing when setting goals.
As an entrepreneur, you probably already have a long list of goals. Maybe you have even shared them with a colleague and created systems of accountability. Now what? How do you propel yourself forward and make progress when your business changes at breakneck speed? The answer lies in re-evaluating your goals to provide a framework for success and keep your momentum high. Here’s how to get started:
Choose Pillar Goals
Setting goals doesn’t necessarily mean jotting down notes on finding more clients or creating more revenue streams. Instead, write out pillar goals that encompass your long-term vision. For example, write down your goal of finding more clients at the top of your list. Then, underneath it start brainstorming sub-goals on how to achieve the top goal. Those sub-goals might be attending at least one networking event a month, following up with past clients and offering free consulting sessions to your target market.
Track Your Goals Consistently
An article on American Express Open Forum illustrates a common thread among successful people. Instead of drifting into a sea of jumbled thoughts and daily stresses, successful people anchor themselves to their goals by writing them down.
When there’s coveted down time, instead of using pen and paper that can be easily lost or forgotten, keep track of your goals on a smartphone like the iPhone 6s Plus. The 5.5-inch display provides more room to jot down notes and ideas on an app like Evernote. Take the idea of achievement a step further by using photos and videos to keep your goals visually front and center. The iPhone 6s features Live Photos, which captures a still shot with extra frames on the front and back to create short, spontaneous videos when you need inspiration. The 3D Touch senses how deeply you press your display, and opens different apps so you can intuitively access what you need to document and track your goals.
Take Accountability
It’s not enough to simply chart and track your goals. Re-evaluate your goals on a daily, weekly or monthly basis to see where you’re making progress and where you’re lagging behind. Take accountability for your failures and successes, and make adjustments accordingly. Regardless of how a colleague or outside influence may affect your day-to-day, it’s still ultimately up to you to realize your goals. Without that accountability in place, it’s easy to point the finger at everyone and everything else around you and shrug off taking new action.
Re-evaluate Success
You have already re-evaluated your goals by this point, but what about the end result? The success you’re after should also be re-evaluated. Ask yourself what success means to you and how it impacts your personal and professional life. After concentrated time documenting, tracking, tweaking and evaluating your goals, look at the big picture. Is your idea of success still the same? What are you trying to achieve and what will it mean once you get there? Remember that as your goals change, so will your ideas of success.
About Carson Derrow
