It’s impossible to manifest what you want out of life without first getting it down on paper (iPad…whatever). Ask anyone you consider to be successful, and they will all tell you how important goal setting is. This means setting long term goals, but also bite sized goals and tasks that you want to achieve each day, or during the week.
The key to actually achieving these goals? Make sure they are specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic and timely. You can remember this with the friendly acronym:
SMART. Always ask yourself…
S: Am I being specific enough?
M: Can I easily track my progress and gauge how close I am to completion?
A: Does this goal make sense for everyone involved?
R: Is it achievable given the available time and resources?
T: What makes sense in terms of a timeline?
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
It’s easy to fall into a routine where you start viewing self imposed busyness, as a unfortunate reality that can’t be avoided. You know those people in your life who can never make time for you. Not because you’re not a priority, of course, but because things are just “soooo busy”. The reality is, we make time for the things and people we really care about.
Not to mention, most of our alleged “busyness” is actually self inflicted. Part of our unquenchable desire to avoid downtime, and how we might actually feel if we had some spare time to reflect.
Look at your daily routine. How much time are you wasting on “lowreturn” activities? Try to be impartial and identify any “busy work” that can be eliminated. Maybe that 30 minutes you spend each morning scrolling on Facebook? Just a thought…
“Focus on being productive instead of busy.”
Tim Ferris
It’s no secret, we live in a time where competition for almost everything is fierce. You have to really know what makes you and your business special, and not be afraid to flaunt it. The most successful people and brands all identified early on what made them unique and then shamelessly promoted it for all it was worth.
“Don’t be afraid to be you! The world needs your unique brand of awesomeness.”
Laurel Bleadon-Maffei
Most of us spend far too much time in planning and preparation mode, when we all know the only way to actually propel our business forward is to take action. Sometimes it can be hard to take that initial leap. But when we do, it’s almost always rewarded.
Challenge yourself to neutralize your procrastination, and take action. Try starting your day off doing the thing you dread the most. Once you’ve crushed your toughest task for the day, everything else will seem easy by comparison.
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
Walt Disney
I’m sure you’ve all heard of the 80/20 rule. 80% of results come from 20% of our efforts. When we finally gain enough clarity to realize which activities are really producing results, we can stop spinning our wheels on “the other stuff”.
“Effort is important, but knowing where to make the effort makes all the difference.”
Unknown
Many people get caught up in the illusion that more must be better. They say yes too much. But the best and the brightest have always seemed to have an innate ability to pinpoint which things will truly add value, and say no to the rest. Get comfortable saying no. Always trust your intuition, and have the confidence to truly back yourself.
“I’m as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.”
Steve Jobs
Fear kills progress, and many businesses at the same time. You can’t be afraid to fail! Failure is something that all of the most successful people on the planet have in common, and it’s also one of the greatest teachers. Once you’ve experienced the sting of failure, you never really forget. But if you view failure as a lesson, and can channel it in a positive way, it can become an excellent motivator.
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
Nelson Mandela