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Business Success |
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"Business Success" cannot be specifically defined for the masses because success can be defined quite differently for each business and by each individual. Therefore, in order to achieve business success, it is first necessary to come to terms with your own definition of success. Each individual’s definition of will be influenced by several key factors:
- Business success is subject to individual interpretation based on upbringing, past experiences, role models, competitive forces, personal motivations and goals. For some, merely staying in business can be considered success, while for others it could be achieving a certain level of sales or an IPO. Carefully contemplate what your definition of business success really is based on your core values—not what you’re your accountant or Wall Street tells you it is.
- Your view of business success will change at various times throughout business cycles and your career. For example, what might be deemed successful early in your career might be viewed very different as you prepare to sell your business and retire to the Caribbean. Your definition of business success will continue to change, so don’t make the error of pursuing an outdated version of it.
- As you achieve business success, it is sometimes measurable and sometimes not. Accumulating a certain volume in sales is certainly one way to measure success, but it is not the only way; earning a prestigious award, earning the respect of your peers, or providing livelihood to your employees may be far more meaningful to you.
- Very few people achieve success in business accidentally. Most people who achieve business success first defined it, then planned for it, and pursued it diligently; they set goals to achieve it.
Once you have defined what it means to achieve business success, your next step is to set goals that will lead you to your definition of success. You must create realistic, viable plans to achieve those goals. Follow your plans, be flexible, and enjoy the process.
Here are five simple steps to help you define and achieve your goals:
Business Success Step #1: Identify Your Goal
Clearly determine what the goal is. Be specific.
- Bad: “To earn more profit.”
- Good: “To expand the sales force by 15 people by the end of the year.”
It is best to manage some short-term, some mid-term, and some long-term goals at the same time.
Business Success Step #2: Identify Your Obstacles
List all the obstacles standing between you (or your team) and the goal. Identify resources, assistance, information or anything else that might be needed to reach the goal. As your writing, don’t get discouraged by the obstacles– they’re absolutely necessary to help you with the next step in completing your plan.
Business Success Step #3: List Tasks to Overcome Each Obstacle
Taking each obstacle one at a time, write one or more ways the obstacle could be overcome. These are tasks (or action items) that will comprise your to-do list. Expect to have several tasks per obstacle.
Business Success, Step #4: Assign Task Deadlines and Set Up Task Reminders or Other Alerts
Assign a start and completion date to each task in the plan. It’s ok to be working on several different tasks at the same time, but don’t overdo it. Be realistic. Assign a reminder or alert to each task in the plan to keep you on track. If you're using myGoals.com, you can specify how often you want to be reminded via email of every task you've listed in your plan. You can choose to be reminded daily, weekly, monthly, at random, etc.
Business Success, Step #5: Follow Your Success Plan
If you use myGoals.com, by the time to you've reached this step, you will have defined a GoalPlan®. Complete each task in succession. Revisit your GoalPlan often and make sure to use your reminder system to keep you on track.
Additional Suggestions:
- If your success plan is too long or complicated, try breaking it into several smaller, more manageable plans.
- Don’t rely on luck or things outside your control as part of your success plan.
- Be flexible–expect your success plan to change before you complete it. Circumstances change, unexpected events occur, and your plan should be updated to adapt to changes. Use planning software such as myGoals.com to help construct your plan and modify it regularly.
- Seek the input of others who have expertise in the area or who have completed a similar goal.
- Reward yourself for partial success as significant milestones are accomplished.
Success Tools & Resources for Business Success
myGoals.com (this Web site) was designed to help you achieve success, regardless of how you chose to define it. By helping you select and pursue personally fulfilling goals, you create a clear, defined path to your own personal success. myGoals.com's pre-made GoalPlansTM, goal-setting wizard, and email reminders are extremely effective tools for creating viable plans and keeping you on track.
As priorities change (and circumstances change), goals will change as well. myGoals.com provides a convenient, flexible, and easy way to manage your path to success. We encourage everyone to pursue their goals with passion. Personal success is yours alone to define, pursue, and achieve. We are here to help.
To learn more or sign up for a free trial, visit our goal-setting homepage.
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