by Dan Oswald
If you’re like me, it’s time to turn your attention to 2014. As we move through the fourth quarter of 2013 and can see the end in sight, our thoughts turn to what we want to accomplish in the coming year. At our company, we’re in the midst of our budgeting process for 2014, and to create a budget that matches our ambitions, our goals for the coming year must be defined.
So what are your goals for 2014? Have you considered what it is you want to accomplish next year? Do you have a plan to help you realize those goals? As you think about what goals you want to set either personally or professionally, here’s some advice from a few people who know something about setting goals.
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” Tony Robbins
The act of setting goals gives you something to pursue—it takes that idea and makes it real. There’s something about the process of setting goals that moves your objectives from theoretical to practical. It’s not enough to just consider what you want to accomplish. You must take the time to be specific in setting your goals with time frames for achieving them.
“People with clear, written goals, accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could ever imagine.” Brian Tracy
Write down your goals. There’s something about committing your goals to writing that makes them even more real. Now they’re on paper. You can see them and feel them; they’re tangible and real. It’s not enough to carry your goals around in your head—when you encounter the first obstacle to achieving them, the goals will disappear or be revised. If you put them on paper, you’ll have a constant reminder. (There’s a reason the 10 Commandments were written in stone!)
“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” Pablo Picasso
Once you have your goals in hand (and in writing!), it’s time to create the plan that will help you achieve them. It’s easy to come up with goals, but the devil is in the details, and the details are in your plan. How are you going to achieve the goals? What steps do you need to take to be successful? What measurements will you put in place to determine whether adequate progress is being made? Setting goals is great, but the plan is the road map that will get you to your destination.
“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” Jim Rohn
Once you have goals established and in writing, it’s your job to demonstrate the discipline necessary to achieve them. To accomplish any goal of real consequence, it takes hard work over a period of time. Establishing goals that require little effort to meet is of little use, but so is creating goals and then not demonstrating the discipline necessary to accomplish them. Aim high, and work hard. It makes reaching the goals all that much more rewarding.
“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” Confucius
When the going gets tough, don’t bail on your goals. The path to any goals truly worth achieving will have some rough spots. Don’t get scared off during those difficult times and adjust the goals. Remember, you put them in writing for a reason. When things get tough and changes need to be made, change the plan. The destination remains the destination; it’s the course that might need adjusting.
“One way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals.” Michael Korda
Once you get in the habit of setting and achieving your goals (and it is a habit), you’ll create real momentum for yourself and your team. Once you have that momentum, the easiest way to keep it going is to set new and loftier goals. Don’t get complacent or rest on your laurels. Set new and greater goals to continue to success!
Setting aggressive goals and achieving them can be incredibly rewarding. Take some time in the coming weeks to consider what you want to accomplish in 2014. Then set your goals, commit them to writing, create a plan for achieving them, and pursue them with tenacity. You’ll find out just how much you can accomplish when you commit to your goals.