Business Goals:
The Gift a Year of Reflection offers
you and your business

Do you wish you could have made all your
business goals?
Are you reflecting upon this year’s performance
for clues to success?
Do you get snagged by your un-success?

Business Goals: self-imposed objectives to achieve or accomplish business success (my definition). If you don’t own your own business and another person or organization creates goals for you to accomplish, this oversimplified definition is still applicable because your actions now work to support this achievement. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s get onto something more interesting…

I’ve been listening to clients and some other folks over the past month and they’re all gung-ho about setting their new year’s business goals now. Nothing wrong with the timing, I’m more interested in creating an effective process versus whimsical goals to direct a person’s future actions. Example of a whimsical goal: a friend was driving to the store to get some more eggnog while proclaiming “on-the-spot goals” to me – yikes… do you really think I let him get away with this?!?!?! As we are still amidst all the holiday festivities and gatherings, it is obvious that we want to have something wonderful and inspiring to talk about. It just makes conversations much more engaging, doesn’t it?

Goals inspire us. Goals help us step into a better way of be-ing. Our personal goals should come from the depths of what we yearn to experience. Our professional development goals and our business goals should be no different!

 Did you miss one or some of YOUR
2013 Business Goals?

OK, so every year, quarter, month, week, and/or possibly day we have a business goal (at least if you are one of my clients you do)! And yet, it is very difficult to fulfill all goals each and every time. Don’t worry, it’s alright… it’s what you do about not making a goal that ultimately matters… well, other than accomplishing your goal 🙂

In archery, there is a word of french origin that describes what happens when we miss our “mark” or target/goal. It is called a “sin”. That’s right, the origin of the word sin is about missing what you aimed at as your target. Most of us are accustomed to the word sin as it relates to religion. Yet, if you look at the definition, it is utilized accurately. Unfortunately, as a society, we have steep emotional baggage attached to this word, so it isn’t the best word to use – even if it is the most accurate.

Did you get snagged by your un-success
and missed some business goals?

If you did, I imagine your world did not end, and you have plenty of company with you on this! I know you do because I didn’t meet all my 2013 business goals either. Yes, there was a good reason for this with my accident which left me at an incapability to conduct business at the same level prior to my motorcycle accident. BUT it didn’t mean I could just give up! I was focusing on other things… reviewing and assessing business models and strategies, creating new offerings, and improving my technology capabilities. Heck, I even started writing a book to release soon – well, once I could do a little typing again 🙂

I encourage you not to allow your un-success to keep you down! Richard Branson says it best, “The key to bouncing back is to learn whatever lessons you can from the experience so that you can avoid making the same mistakes…”

Are you reflecting on this year’s performance to give
you clues to succeed?

There are a couple of different theories regarding how to set goals and when to set them. However, I’d like to share one of the greatest techniques I have experimented with for effective business goal setting: Reflection. Yes, reviewing or reflecting upon what has happened and if it created the desired outcome of a less than favorable outcome. Ponder for a moment, if you will. (Did anyone hear harp music just now?)

Reflect upon one of your business goals and answer the following:

• Why is this goal important to your, or your business’s, being?
• Did you attain all the supportive resources prior to taking action?
• Was your aim accurate?
• Did you secure a bullseye, hit the target, or miss it all together?
• Did something else happen instead of what you anticipated?
• Was the unexpected result more favorable or less favorable than your initial goal?
• Did you learn new techniques, skills, or capabilities along the way?
• Compiling all the wisdom gained from your experience, what would you do differently now?

And there it is; the gift of reflection! I encourage you to take time to do this with your key goals, if not all of them, to create new attainable business goals, and the supportive actions necessary to accomplish them with grace and ease!

One of my favorite tools for assisting me with this reflection and my new goal-setting process is the book: GOALS! by Brian Tracy. Click here to read my short encouragement as to why you should get this book and write down your answers to the first 6 chapters each year.  Yep, that’s what I’m doing this week 🙂 Please, gift yourself a great tool and go buy the book today!

… Please feel free to share in the comment section how you are about to finish strong and let’s see how we can all help each other out!

 It can be all different this year…if you intend and act upon delivering different results in 2014!

If you or your business needs further coaching on Business Strategies,
please reach out to Maggie (262) 716.7750   

Blessings of Success to YOU ~
Maggie Mongan, Brilliant CEO & Master Business Coach
Brilliant Breakthroughs, Inc.
LinkedIn: Maggie Mongan