Setting and Sharing Your 2012 Goals With a Little Help From Will Smith

December has finally reached us, and suddenly business owners are realising that they haven’t set their goals for 2012.

Perhaps it’s the mild winter that’s prevented us from preparing for the next twelve months (many people have spoken about how the unusual and unnatural mild weather has impacted our ability to plan as usual) or perhaps it’s fear of failure during uncertain times that’s making us put off our planning; however, now is the time to get started on your business goals.

Get Started on Your Business Goals

Time and time again I hear business owners claim that they cannot set goals in their business because they don’t know what is realistic or achievable.

I find this a somewhat bizarre and limiting concept. To me, the only way to get what you want is to aim for what you really want. Trying to aim for simply realistic or achievable means you’ll only ever be comfortable. You’ll never push yourself that little bit further and that little bit harder.

A different way to think about it is to visualize yourself achieving your big goal. Just stop and think. How fantastic would it feel to achieve your big goal? How proud of yourself and your team would you be once you’d reached that big benchmark?

If you have a big goal, go for it!

Don’t be frightened about setting a big goal. Go for it, embrace your enthusiasm, and ensure that you have KPI’s in place to help you track and monitor your progress towards completing that goal. (You can read my blog on the importance of KPI’s to discover how Key Performance Indicators can keep you on track).

Using KPI’s you can easily track whether or not you are on target to reach your big goal. If you happen to fall off track, don’t fret. Instead, take the time to work out what you could do differently to get yourself back on track.

Set personal and professional goals!

When thinking about your goals, don’t just think about what you want to do with your business. Think about what it is you want to actually achieve next year. Maybe you want to do a bungee jump, or spend your holidays somewhere new. Perhaps you’d like to spend more time with your loved ones?

Think about your personal goals for 2012, and you’ll find it that much easier to see what your business needs to achieve in order for you to achieve your personal goals.

Detail every aspect of your goals!

It’s no good being vague about your goals. Vagueness simply means that you haven’t thought long and hard enough about your goals, which means you’re less likely to achieve them.

Visualize every little detail about your goal and make sure to include all of those details when you write your goals down. Writing your goals is incredibly important, as it again affirms that what your goals are, helping you to decide exactly how you will achieve them.

Be inspired by a big achiever!

Will Smith is undoubtedly one of the biggest Hollywood names of or generation. Since starring in ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Will Smith has gone on to star in a number of Hollywood blockbusters, including ‘i-Robot’, ‘I Am Legend’, ‘Men in Black’, ‘Seven Pounds’, ‘Independence Day’ and ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’.

It’s easy to be inspired by Will’s determination and aspirations, and if you’re looking for inspiration for your big goals, take ten minutes out of your day to watch this video on Will Smith and his attitude towards success: Will Smith Shares His Secrets to Success on YouTube

Share Your Goals

While most of us get into the habit of setting goals, too few of us are in the habit of sharing our goals. Why?

Because sharing our goals with others suddenly makes them more real. Sharing those goals suddenly makes you accountable and responsible for your big dreams.

The thought of not living up to those expectations can be overwhelming, and that fear alone can stop us from setting those big goals in the first place.

 I say don’t give in to fear. I say be brave, and don’t just set big goals, share them. Share them with your colleagues, your associates, and your loved ones. Share them on social media sites and at your networking events. You would be surprised how many people will pull together when everyone is sharing the same vision.

Keep Your Goals Visible

It’s no good setting big goals and then filing them in a box never again to see the light of day. It’s absolutely crucial that your big goals are given a physical identity.

A vision board or a vision book is a great way to give your goals physical visibility, and it also makes it much easier to share your goals with others.

I have put together my own vision board to make my goals for 2012 very clear. I look at them every day, and I spend a little time each day thinking about how good it will feel when I achieve those big goals.

I am a guest blogger for thebestof Stourbridge and thebestof Bromsgrove. I run a web design and development company in Bromsgrove with my partner, Dave Henderson, called Blue Fusion Studios.  I am also in the process of launching a limited partnership. You can grab us on @bfsdesign on Twitte or on FaceBook.

Phil and I would love for you to set big goals for 2012, and we’d love for you to share them with us! If you’re feeling brave, simply pop a goal or two into the comments box below!