In your work or personal life, it pays to set goals. I’m a runner (more accurately a slow jogger). I will have stints where I keep to a steady schedule of good-for-you cardio. Then I get bored and the runs taper off. This is especially a problem during winter in Wisconsin. The running shoes come off, and the pounds go on. Everybody brings snacks into the office, and only a select few individuals have the strength to say “no”. How do you say “no” to a free flaky pastry?
That’s why I think it is important to have real, specific goals with deadlines. Instead of saying to myself “I should run more”, I’m going to sign up for a running event and plan a training program leading up to race day.
In your business, simply saying you want to be more profitable won’t cut it. You need to set specific goals like cutting overhead by 5%, or reducing service comebacks by 10%. Once you have a goal in mind, create your plan for action and set some real deadlines for when you want to accomplish that goal. For an even better chance at success in meeting that goal, schedule check points along the way to measure your progress.
In our Business Management section at greenindustrypros.com we have several articles available to help you with the goal-setting process. Below are a few to start with, but there are many more to inspire you and help you along the way to planning and achieving goals.
