Many business start-up kits or consultants will tell you one of the first steps to starting a business is to define your business goals. Your goals may differ from the goals of another individual, for example; some people want freedom to do what they want to do, whenever they want, and without having to report to someone else. For others, the goal might be financial security. For another, flexibility or creativity might be their goal.
Regardless, setting goals is an important part of choosing a business that is right for you. Logically, if your business does not meet your personal goals, you probably will not be happy or get any sort of satisfaction from trying to make your business a success. Sooner or later you would stop putting forth effort needed to make the business concept successful. Here are a few qualities to keep in mind when you are setting your goals and searching for the business that is right for you.
1. Be specific. You have a much better chance of achieving a goal if it is specific. For example, "getting rich" is not a specific goal. "Earn $8,000 per month" is a specific goal.
2. Be optimistic. Keep your goals positive and optimistic. This will help to fire up your energy and enthusiasm to work towards and maintain the goal. For example, "pay the bills" is not an inspiring goal. However, "be debt-free within 18 months" is much more positive and achievable.
3. Be realistic. Look at your current income and where you want to be. If you have never earned $100,000 a month or year, then that may not be a realistic goal for you to set as you start your business. Begin with small steps and then, perhaps, increase your monthly income goal by 25 percent. Once your first goal is met, set a new goal until you gradually reach your larger, long-term goal.
4. Think short- and long-term. Whether you are looking at income, or in terms of growth, marketing or product development, you should have both short- and long-term goals. Short-term goals are those that may be attainable in a period of weeks to a year. Long-term goals can be those that you want to reach in three, five, ten, or even twenty years. Long-term goals should be substantially greater than short-term goals, but still realistic.
Writing your goals down will serve you well and be a constant reminder for you as you focus on your new business. Periodically review your goals and make adjustments where necessary so that you are always working towards something that is attainable. If you discover that a goal is too broad, or too difficult to reach, try breaking it down into smaller pieces.
These qualities are very simple concepts that you can apply. By defining specific, optimistic and realistic goals for both the short- and long-term focus you will be able to be energized and to develop a "go for it" attitude that will help you to achieve the goals in a timeframe that is best suited to your needs and business.
Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.
Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.
The author owns her own website and is a member of a number of organizations for women Netpreneurs and business owners and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada USA with her two dogs. You can contact Michele at news@ebooksnstuff.com or visit her website at: news@ebooksnstuff.com
Indian Head Park taxi to Midway .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareAnyone who has been watching the Idaho Market Carefully for... Read More
From time to time there seems to be a flurry... Read More
The Accountability/Alignment Process: Three Steps to an Accountable Organization Generating... Read More
When in doubt, cut that out! Yeah, yea, doubting Thomas... Read More
Let us look at a few of the big distribution... Read More
The current state of the available technology at the disposal... Read More
Running a business, whether it be an offline multi-billion dollar... Read More
Private equity firms have raised so much capital over the... Read More
A recent conversation started with a typical question, "How's business?"... Read More
Making money doesn't make your reputation... your reputation makes you... Read More
I'm not talking about posting the HBO schedule on your... Read More
Writing a Business Plan these days is tough, venture capitalists... Read More
Growth through acquisition should not be considered an option reserved... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains does wonderful ERP job for horizontal markets... Read More
Is your business growing as fast and effectively as it... Read More
I read once that something like 30 percent of all... Read More
Ask a small business owner about their strategic plan and... Read More
How are you feeling today? Good, not so good, great?... Read More
Have you ever done a SWOT analysis? No, it's not... Read More
The first task before hiring a contractor for home remodeling... Read More
1. Largest Selection -One way that you can make your... Read More
Whether you are seeking capital for your company or are... Read More
Part 1A few weeks ago I attended a seminar sponsored... Read More
The foundation of any business transaction is the promise of... Read More
You know you need a business plan. You probably realize... Read More
Bonnie Chicago charter limousine ..The boom of the dot-com era in 1999 brought the... Read More
As fast as you can say business disaster, your business... Read More
With a heightened awareness of opportunity, ideas can often be... Read More
Please take a moment before you read any further and... Read More
To Grow (Catapult) Your Business That's Why.When it's in your... Read More
Does the competition drive you crazy?Are they relentless about taking... Read More
When developing the competition section of your business plan, companies... Read More
Business seems to drop, slow or even stop during the... Read More
Business planning is widely acknowledged as one of the keys... Read More
One of the most important initiatives in the domain of... Read More
( * - the word 'product' can be substituted to... Read More
A menu is the foundation of any restaurant; Guests will... Read More
Richard L. Daft one of the country's recognized academic leadership... Read More
One Research Scientist at the Hewlett-Packard (HP) Imaging Systems laboratory... Read More
The Accountability/Alignment Process: Three Steps to an Accountable Organization Generating... Read More
Business owners and entrepreneurs are, by nature, risk takers and... Read More
Imagine spending the same amount of money on marketing and... Read More
Too much goal setting and strategic planning can leave you... Read More
When looking at Akron carefully one cannot help but notice... Read More
Where would your business be without a proper plan? A... Read More
Building a dynamic small business is a constantly evolving, increasingly... Read More
Succession planning, like any business acumen, is both an art... Read More
You have heard that there is extra money on the... Read More
A significant advantage of some business ideas is that the... Read More
In today's rapidly changing and highly competitive markets, many privately... Read More
Strategic Planning |