Goals Make a Difference

As each year winds down, I pull out my business plan and compare what I thought would happen, with what actually did happen.  The process is painful, fun, enlightening,  and motivating.  I take some time to figure out why I achieved or missed a particular goal, then I decide what is possible,  create new goals and start working toward them.

Why?   Because goals make a difference!  You have probably heard about the study of Harvard MBA students in 1979

They were asked if they had clear, written goals for your future and  plans to accomplish them?“ Only three percent of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13 percent had goals, but they were not in writing; and a whopping 84 percent had no specific goals at all.

Ten years later, the 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all. And  three percent who had clear, written goals were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together.

So if goals are so important, why don’t more people take the time to set them, and work toward them?  Author Brian Trace identified four reasons why people don’t set goals:

• They don’t realize the importance of goals
• They don’t know how to set goals
• They fear failure
• They fear rejection

So what is holding  you back?  Do you have your plan for 2011?  It is time to get one!

1. Start small, take out a few sheets of paper and write down one goal
2. Next write down the barriers to accomplishing the goal
3. Take some time working on a plan to address each barrier.  This is the beginning of your action plan.

It is great to have goals, but it is the action plans which  move you forward.