Setting goals is an important part of any business enterprise. Whether you’re a solopreneur or a manager in a multinational corporation, the technique of setting goals is equally important. One of the worst case scenarios in the world of business is the failure to achieve preset goals. They fail for a variety of reasons but that doesn’t mean that you are entirely powerless. In fact, if you adopt certain techniques, you can assure that the goals are rightly defined, achievable and that you can persevere long enough to see them turned into reality.

Measuring success

Goals are rarely physical in nature but this doesn’t mean that process is impossible to measure. You can always set goals in such a manner that progress can be measured in such a way that you know what it takes to complete them. In most cases, a sample graph or a scale can be used to measure how much you have professed. Otherwise, you will never know how much you have left to do so you might lose focus and give up even if you’re ultra-close to success.

Being realistic

Another possible reason behind failure is expecting too much. The world of modern business is highly competitive which puts more and more stress on workers and managers to set the bar high. This leads to over-exaggeration which spawns unrealistic goals. This way, you are doomed to failure right from the very start, which generates unnecessary stress and frustration. The goal you set should, therefore, be realistic in nature and based on real-life data and growth projection. Before deciding what your yearly sales target is, for instance, do some market research to know which figures are reachable. 

The importance of deadlines

Goals are not temporal but this doesn’t mean that there doesn’t exist a deadline. In fact, if you set a deadline for each phase of the project, you are more likely to succeed. The key to completing goals and subordinate tasks is to stay within a preset time frame that will prevent unnecessary delays. Of course, you should avoid emergency and last minute deadlines but there should be a general timetable to follow. This way, no one will be able to procrastinate with the work they need to deliver. 

Going high-tech

There is a science behind setting goals so it is OK to use some high-tech help. In mathematics, we have calculators, in language learning we have dictionaries and in goal setting there are apps. Yes, there are several goal setting apps that you can read more about on Walk Jog Run and discover the wondrous world of tracking methods. If the goals are too much for you to handle, then these apps will take the brunt of the work. All you have to do is punch in the desired goals, set a timeline, and follow the instructions and reminders the app provides you with.

The importance of phases

As we have mentioned earlier, it is important to divide general goals into stages or phases. There is a practical reason behind this piece of advice because you cannot do it all at once. Furthermore, if you are working within a team of people, delegating tasks will help speed up the process. If everyone knows what their duties are, then the whole group will be more efficient and productive. In general, the more stages you have and the simpler they are, the end goal will be easier to achieve. As the Latin saying “Nulla dies sine linea” goes, you can even create daily tasks that will amount to the realization of monthly and yearly goals. 

Why bother

Remember how your parents used to buy you a toy or a bar of chocolate every time you put on a brave face when visiting the dentist? Well, the same reward system works just fine in the corporate world as well. The aforementioned mini-goals will get you to the end but they will not keep you sufficiently motivated. This is the task of rewards that you get along the way and at the end. In order to keep your eye on the prize (or on the money), you need to want to succeed. Even a seemingly trivial reward as an ice-cream cone after a hard day at work might make the whole effort worth a while and easier to bear.

Know exactly what you want

The final reason why certain goals stay outside your reach is the fact that you haven’t defined them to begin with. Phrases like “I want to improve my business” and “an increase in sales” are not real goals, alluring as they might sound. Specific goals usually come with a numerical value like “5000 sold items in the next quarter” or “500 new followers in the coming month” are more realistically set goals. In other words, you need to know exactly what you want to achieve in order to achieve it.

Finally, you need to persevere and stick to the 7 goal setting techniques listed here. By knowing exactly what you want and how many phases and time it involves, you are one step closer to increasing the level of productivity.