Goal setting, business planning, accountablility, benchmarks.... OMG, I think I fell asleep just thinking about it. Being self-employed is an empowering and daunting opportunity, You and You alone are the reason you make a lot or a little income. It is a choice. How hard are you willing to work for it? For some people success just happens and we all hate them for it. For most people, it requires planning.
The first step is to write down your goals, dreams, aspirations, where you want your business to be next year, 5, 10 years down the road. For those of you like me, you are already freaking out about
How (How do I do that, How can I meet that goal), Stop It! This step is just the dreaming big portion, we will worry about the
How later, so chill out! Turn off the analytical side and just dream, envision, and empower yourself to write down goals that mean something to you. We can learn from the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland:
Where do you want to go, what do you want to have, who do you want to influence? Make sure those are Written down to be incorporated into your plan. Have it posted somewhere you can see it every day. Select goals for the month, quarter and year. Check back with the plan every month to make sure you are on target to hit your goals. If you are behind schedule, brainstorm with other professionals to figure out how to accelerate your progress, you may need to ask someone to hold you accountable to the tasks needed to make that happen. Think of it like a trainer at the gym: after the first couple sessions you know how to
do the the things necessary to get you in shape, but sometimes we need that other person to push us to and past the limitations we have set for ourselves either consciously or unconsciously. Empower another person to hold your feet to the fire. For those super stubborn folks, you know who you are, you may need to hire a coach and invest in your belief in yourself. Ok, back to goal setting, create SMART goals:
Your goals need to be laser beam specific. In your mind you should be able to touch, feel, smell the outcome of that goal. Imagine already having reached that goal: what does that feel like, how would your life be different? Your goals are measurable so you can assess your progress. Achievable can be decieving:
"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." —Michelangelo Buonarroti. Believe in yourself enough to challenge yourself. Are your goals relevant to your life purpose? Try not to choose goals because you think that is what you are
supposed to do. Goals without passion and purpose will not be achieved. Give yourself a deadline for your goals.
Write it down, have fun with it, empower yourself to Dream Big! Take it one step at a time and remember to look back once in awhile to see how far you have traveled and then focus on where you are headed next. Be You! Your plan will not look like anyone elses' and your success will be unique to you.
Wishing you an amazing year! Please let us know if the Missouri Realtors: Young Professionals Network can be of any assistance to you: we are here to help!
