Did you know that the majority of start-up businesses fail within their first 5 years? According to experts, a large reason behind this is the fact that many business owners fail to plan ahead.
Without adequate planning, it’s easy to lose direction and become overwhelmed by the day to day running of the company. That’s why setting goals is extremely important.
"If you can't fly then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk then crawl. But, what ever you do, you have to keep moving forward." - Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King
Goals are the building blocks to your success
Business goals help you to propel the business forward, helping it to succeed. No matter which part of the business you’re looking to improve, the right goals can really help you to take your business to the next level.
Without goals, you won’t know which parts of the business to focus on in order to get the results you’re looking for. So, you’ll likely end up stuck in a rut, not really achieving anything of significance unless you have realistic, measurable goals.
They enable you to monitor your progress
In order to succeed in business, it’s crucial to monitor your progress. Which parts of the business are doing well, and which could use a little improvement?
Unless you have a clear idea of where your efforts should be focused, it’s easy to waste your time, money and energy on the wrong tasks. So, setting goals and then reviewing them, helps you to see how far the business has come and the key areas which require additional focus.
Think of your marketing strategy as a good example here. When you’re spending money trying to attract new customers, you need to know you’re not wasting your efforts. So, setting goals and then reviewing them will help you to see which marketing strategies are working, and which ones you should tweak or let go of completely.
Goals help to boost motivation
Remember that excitement and motivation you felt when you first started the business? It’s what pushed you to launch the company and get it off to a great start. However, it’s natural for that motivation and initial excitement to fade after a few months. That’s where goals can prove extremely useful.
Setting goals which can be easily achieved, helps to keep your motivation intact. As you tick off the goals, you’ll feel a renewed motivation to push forward and achieve the next one.
Without motivation, it’s practically impossible to succeed in business.
Goals keep your employees happy and motivated
Another reason that goals are important to businesses, is because they help to keep employees happy. While unrealistic goals can damage employee morale and motivation, effective ones can help to increase productivity and communication.
It also provides clarity, ensuring your employees know exactly what they are working towards. You’ll also find setting goals helps to ensure you’re hiring the right employees. If you know where the business is going, you’ll find it easier to hire the right talent to help you get there.
Goals hold you accountable
Business goals also help to hold you accountable. You could have a vague goal in your head that you are working towards, but unless you write it down and monitor it, you’re unlikely to reach it.
When left to our own devices, we’re often not as productive or as motivated as we could be. So, having clear goals helps to keep our focus and mind on the tasks required to push the business forward.
These are just some of the reasons why setting goals in business is crucial to your success. The thing to remember is that goal setting isn’t just a one-off thing. You need to continue to set goals once you’ve achieved those initial ones. That is how you ensure your business doesn’t just keep running, but that it continues to thrive.
Hold yourself accountable!
-Coach Jo
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