With only three weeks left in 2023, now is the time to begin the process of setting goals for 2024.

In my decades of experience as a business owner and consultant, I can tell you that those of us who achieve the greatest success are those who regularly pause to make sure we are on track to reaching goals. You master only what you measure. It is as important to take note of achievements as it is to identify areas that need improvement.

If that seems like a daunting task, start by reflecting on the year that’s ending. Ask yourself: Have I reached the goals I set for myself at the beginning of this year? With just a few weeks left, am I going to finish the year strong?

Based on your answers, your next step is to create short and long term goals for yourself. To do this, I recommend that you use the SMART system.

SMART is an acronym—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound—and a simple tool used to create actionable plans for results for both personal and business goals.

SMART goals simply summarize your performance expectations and outline measures to determine when the goal is met. Let’s take a quick look at each part of a SMART goal:

• Specific: Goals must be clear, well-defined, and strategic. A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. Because the goals are focused, you can easily measure your progress toward their completion.

• Measurable: Goals must be measurable where you can quantify concrete indicators of progress and accomplishment. A goal without a measurable outcome is like a sporting event without a scoreboard. If your goals are not measurable, you never know whether you are making progress toward their successful completion.

• Attainable: To be attainable, goals must fall within a practical range of achievement and represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work, both personally and financially. Realistic business goals should be based on the current economic conditions and realities. The best goals require you to stretch to achieve them.

• Relevant: Goals must support your overall business mission and vision. These results-oriented goals must also align with current tasks and projects.

• Time-bound: Goals must be grounded within a time frame that has a starting point, ending point, intermediate checkpoints, and a fixed duration. Commitment to intermediate and final deadlines helps to focus work efforts on completion of the goal and build a sense of urgency. Mark goal dates on your calendar.

Once you have created your SMART goals, here are a few essential tips to achieving them:

• Write your goals. Don’t just store them in your mind. A goal is not a goal until you write it or type it. Capture each goal on paper or on the computer screen.  Post the goals in prominent places so you can be reminded of them often.

• Share your goals with at least two key people. Your business coach and your spouse would be good people to start with. In addition, share with other people who are supportive and positive, such as members of a mastermind group. As part of your support team, your business coach can provide you with encouragement, advice, healthy feedback, and/or a listening ear.

• Identify the resources you need to make your goals happen. Immediately after writing your goals, make a list of both material and human resources needed, and develop action plans to obtain those resources. For example, as you plan to increase sales, cash flow, and profits, add an accountant to your human resources list.

• Detect potential obstacles. Take time to evaluate potential roadblocks to achieving your goals and take action to clear them. Based on her experience, a business coach can help you identify obstacles before you encounter them, especially those obstacles that may cost you time and money.

• Make a list of everything you will need to do to reach your goal. Don’t forget to consider yourself. Do you need to improve or learn a new skill, or do you need the help of other people?

• Pinpoint at least one daily action item. The little things you do every day are what will propel you towards the long-term win—realizing your objectives within the given time frame. Develop a passion for being action-oriented, and remember that consistency is vital to your success.

• Identify rewards. Rewards along the way make the journey to completing your goals more fun and provide extra incentive to accomplish them. What meaningful rewards will you identify for yourself to celebrate success?

• Evaluate your progress along the way. Build in checkpoints to evaluate your progress. Check in with key folks who are working with you, including your business coach, and get realistic updates from them. If needed, make necessary adjustments.

• Get started now. Identify an action you will take right now, after you finish reading this article. Do it.

Now you can be SMART about creating and achieving your goals!

With 40 years of sales and coaching experience, I’m passionate about helping my clients take a much needed step back, gain some perspective into the bigger picture, and develop tangible action plans that will produce RESULTS.

If one of your goals is to improve your lead generation strategy, strengthen your closing rates, or learn the other proven strategies necessary to boost your sales in 2024, you’ll gain momentum with me in your corner as your expert business coach, strategist, and accountability partner.

Together, we can take stock of where you did—and didn’t—succeed this year and develop a plan of action that will set you apart from your competitors in the year to come. Find out how to finish 2023 strong and “Double Plus” your income in 2024. Take a moment to contact me today.

 

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Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus™” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with more than 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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