Go For The Goal

Setting up shop? Put your plans in order!

设定目标是一个选择的有效组成部分businessthat's right foryou. After all, if your business doesn'tmeet your personal goals, you probablywon't be happy waking upeach morning and trying to make the business asuccess. Sooner orlater, you'll stop putting in the effort to make theconceptwork.

When setting goals, aim for the following qualities:

1. Specificity.You stand a better chance of achieving agoal if it'sspecific. "Raising capital" isn't aspecific goal; "raising $10,000 by July 1"is.

2. Optimism.Be positive when you set goals. "Beingable to pay thebills" is not exactly an inspirational goal."Achieving financial security"phrases your goal in a morepositive manner, thus firing up your energy toattain it.

3. Realism.If you set a goal to earn $100,000 a monthwhen you've neverearned that much in a year, that goal isunrealistic. Begin with small steps,such as increasing your monthlyincome by 25 percent. Once your first goal ismet, you can reach forlarger ones.

4. Thinking short and long term.Short-term goals areattainable in aperiod of weeks to a year. Long-term goals can befor five, 10 or even 20 yearsfrom now; they should be substantiallygreater than short-term goals but shouldstill be realistic.

There are several factors to consider when setting goals:

1. Income.Many entrepreneurs go into business to achievefinancialsecurity. Consider how much money you want to make duringyour first year ofoperation and each year thereafter, up to fiveyears.

2. Lifestyle.This includes travel, work hours,investment of personalassets and geographic location. Are youwilling to travel extensively or tomove? How many hours are youwilling to work? Which assets are you willing torisk?

3. Type of work.When setting goals for type of work, youneed todetermine whether you like working outdoors, in an office,with computers, onthe phone, with lots of people, with children andso on.

4. Ego gratification.Many people go into business tosatisfy theiregos. Owning a business can be very ego-gratifying,especially if you're in abusiness that's consideredglamorous or exciting. You need to decide howimportant egogratification is to you and what area best fills that need.

The most important rule of self-evaluation and goal-setting ishonesty. Goinginto business with your eyes wide open about yourstrengths and weaknesses,your likes and dislikes, and your ultimategoals lets you confront thedecisions you'll face with greaterconfidence and a greater chance.