Have you set any goals for 2016? If you did, you may have noticed that your motivation to achieve these goals has already started to dwindle. It’s maddening, isn’t it? They’re great goals and you really want to reach them!
The good news is there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of achieving those goals.
For one, make sure your goals are concrete enough. Saying, “I want my business to grow,” is too vague. You need to break that goal into specifics that will help you take action.
Second, make sure your goals are realistic. There’s nothing more deflating than realizing that you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. That being said, even if you already announced a grand goal that you now realize is too big, you might not have to retract it. You may be able to break that goal into smaller pieces that will eventually lead up to achieving the overall goal. This might take more time than you initially anticipated, but achieving smaller goals along the road towards the big goal will help you to maintain motivation.
Another way to increase your chances of completing your goals is to focus on your purpose behind the goals. You see, sometimes we lose motivation because we’ve lost sight of why we wanted to achieve that goal in the first place.
It is impossible to maintain motivation without excitement. You need to be able to answer the question, “Why is that goal important?” And your answer has to be something that you can get excited about.
Why do you want to increase profits this year? Is it so you can expand your business to create more of the product you believe makes a difference in people’s lives?
Why do you want to write a book on the topic of small business accounting? Is it to establish yourself as an expert in your field so you can reach more small business owners who need accounting advice?
Once you’ve determined the purpose behind your goal, you also need to:
1. Know your responsibilities in detail.
2. Determine the tasks that go with each responsibility.
3. Schedule each of these tasks.
These steps don’t sound very exciting, so it’s hard to imagine that they would help you to stay excited about your goals. But honestly, the best motivation is achievement. If you’re achieving the goal, even in small increments, you’ll be motivated to keep going, and you’ll reach those goals you’ve set for 2016.
Leon Fontaine is internationally renowned for his ability to equip people with skills for life. He is the CEO of Miracle Channel and senior pastor of Springs, a contemporary church with six campuses across Western Canada. Visit www.leonfontaine.com for more great articles as well as weekly videos and podcasts. Email your comments to [email protected].
