Because it’s still a relatively new year, many business owners are still working on goals they set for 2019’s first quarter. The first quarter is only a few days away from being over, though, and the end of the year will be here before you can blink twice. Setting your 2019 end of year goals now has a number of benefits. It gives you a stopping point (which gives you a starting point), lets you work backward, and break your goals down into doable tasks. It also gives you clarity, focus, and drive. These are the five questions I asked myself as I set end of year goals for my business this year:
- How many conferences do I want to attend in 2019?
- How many clients (or customers) do I want to have by the end of 2019?
- How much revenue to I want my business to generate by the end of 2019?
- What dollar amount do I want to set as my personal income for the end of 2019?
- How many new products or services do I want to launch before the end of 2019?
These questions and their answers made it easy to set my 2019 end of year goals. I hope they help you set yours and give you something to work toward. Of course, goal setting is redefined according to each person, refined with each iteration, and refocused as each goal is met. Once you’ve set your goals, these methods can help ensure you reach them.
- Tell a trusted someone your goals. Having them check in and keep you on an accountability track goes a long way toward helping you work toward and meet your goals.
- Write your goals down and turn them into an action plan. This type of checklist keeps your end of year goals top of mind and makes checking off each completed item easier.
- Post your goals list where you can see it every day – try adding it to a poster in your workspace, on the inside of your planner, or setting it as your screen saver.
- Create an incremental reward system. Break each goal down into manageable chunks and reward yourself or your team members each time a milestone is met.
Setting a clear, intentional, actionable end of year goal list brings your business goals within reach. They foster the thrill of working hard, result in a sense of personal and professional satisfaction, and help ensure your business gets the growth it deserves. Goal setting lets you take a daily look at your short-term goals and helps you cast a long-term vision for success.
Read more about goal setting in this epic blog from 2018, then leave a comment about your 2019 end of year goals in the comments. Maybe a few of us can partner to help each other reach and exceed those goals.