Learn how to set goals

1. Determine What You Want Your Goals To Be

Not sure where to start when setting goals? Congrats—you’re not alone! Plenty of business owners struggle with where to begin when it comes to determining business goals (especially the newbies). But, that’s completely OK. We’re here to help each other out, right? Right.

So … where to start? Instead of just thinking “What goals do I want to set for my company?” think about it this way: What do I want to accomplish?

When determining your goals, make sure they are worth your time and effort. Think about what goals can really push your business forward within the next year. And, don’t just think about the big picture. Also figure out what itty bitty goals you want to achieve—they are equally as important.

To figure out your top priorities, consider taking advantage of a SWOT analysis. Your analysis will tell you where your business is falling flat and what areas need improvement. Once you determine what areas need help, start coming up with the goals you believe you can achieve (or come close to achieving) in the next few months or years.

2. Be As Specific As Possible

The more time you spend describing and visualizing your goals, the more likely you will be to actually achieve them. So, when setting your goals, be as descriptive and crystal clear as possible.

Go into the nitty-gritty details when setting a goal, such as exact dollar amounts or percentages, what it will take to achieve said goal, and how long you think it will take to reach it.

Define where you want your goal to be at each step of the way. Think of this as your goal’s roadmap. Be specific with what you want to accomplish at each point.

Are you a visual learner? If so, here’s an example of what your goal roadmap may look like:

1. Increase customer count to 10,000 by end of Q1
2. Have 15,000 customers by Q2
3. Have 20,000 customers by Q3
4. Have 25,000 customers by Q4

Your roadmap can also detail more long-term goals, such as increasing overall revenue or reducing certain expenses. As you can tell, the opportunities are endless.

3. Commit To Your Goals  

Like with anything in life, if you want to achieve a goal, you have to commit to it. If you’re determined to lose weight, what do you do? You set goals, and you commit to your diet and exercise regime to reach your goal weight.

Once you set your goals, make the commitment and stick to it. Don’t second-guess your goals or give up on them right away. Enjoy the ride, track your results, and do whatever you need to do to stay motivated throughout the process.

4. Meet Regularly To Measure Progress

There’s no better feeling than achieving a goal you’ve set your mind to. But, you can’t reach your goals if you don’t have a system to track and analyze your efforts.

Find a way to keep track of your goals that works for you and your team. For example, maybe you’ll utilize a spreadsheet to keep track of metrics monthly. By tracking your goal(s), you can find out what is and isn’t working and make changes along the way to ensure you achieve your goal in the end.

It’s also good practice to meet with your team to discuss your goals. That way, you keep everyone in the loop and can brainstorm ideas to help you reach your goals.

Let’s take a look at an example, shall we? At my accounting software and payroll company, Patriot Software, we monitor our metrics to track our progress over time. For example, our marketing team meets at least once per month to set and discuss the status of the goals and to determine what is and is not working in our favor before making any changes.

5. Hold Yourself Accountable With Deadlines

If you really want to motivate yourself to achieve a business goal, try setting deadlines to hold yourself accountable.

Setting time-focused goals help you set a clear date on when you want to reach your goals. Deadlines help you stay in line and give you the boost you need to accomplish your goals.

From the get-go of establishing your goal, set a deadline for when you want to reach your goal. I’m not talking about saying “by next summer” or “by the end of Quarter 3.” I’m saying to give a specific date on when you want your goal completed. That way, you can hold yourself accountable when that date rolls around.

6. Celebrate Milestones And Achievements

Last but certainly not least, remember to celebrate the milestones you reach and the goals you accomplish—no matter how big or small they may seem.

You’ve invested so much time and energy into reaching your goal, so take a moment to take it all in and celebrate your accomplishment.

Smaller accomplishments can be simple rewards, like lunch at your favorite restaurant or a cake. As milestone accomplishments are met, you might splurge a little more with your celebrations to match the goal you reached.