As a writer/author/editor/web designer, et al, I find that in order to make a “go” of my business, I must periodically refocus or reshape the direction in which my business is moving in order to remain relevant and profitable. If you, too, run your own business you probably have learned to do the same. If not, you may be missing some important trends that can impact your bottom line. Please continue to read on for some helpful advice on how you can set attainable goals for your enterprise.
My business is always in a state of flux. At times, web design is the hot item while at other times article writing surges to the top of my list of tasks. Several other competing responsibilities including advertising, resume design, and special projects also weigh in. My job isn’t boring, but if I don’t keep a firm grasp on my myriad duties, I can find myself going in the wrong direction without warning. This can be both a career killer and a financial disaster.
Some goals I make for myself are specific, such as, write more personal finance articles, while others are general, such as, the following goals I recently made to provide even better service to my clients:
- I will do the best job possible for you and at a competitive price.
- I will work for you as if it matters to me. That’s because it does.
- Your success is my success. If you do well, I do well. If your project fails, I have failed too.
Of course, more generalized goals give you more room to move [and breathe!] while specific, set-in-stone goals are just that: immovable. You will either reach your goals or you willfail; there is no middle ground!
So, why not do both? Have specific goals which you know you must reach and generalized goals which you can meet, but can also be reshaped on the fly. Divide up your goals into those that must be kept a specific way for one category, while placing the remaining goals in the second, more fluid category.
You will likely attain your goals if you give yourself some wiggle room. If you don’t, you will soon grow disinterested, forget your goals, and your business and your customers will suffer the consequences.