Right now, your business, combined with the daily actions you are/are not taking, is perfectly designed to achieve the results you are currently getting.
If you aren’t getting the results you want, that simply means you simply haven’t designed a
business that will get them for you and you’re not taking consistent action on that design.
When you set appropriate objectives (the ones that get you to your goals the fastest) and take daily consistent action on those objectives, you focus your company like a laser. Because every decision you make will be judged by its ability to move your business closer to your stated objectives.
And the sum of those objectives = attainment of
your larger goals.
So how do you determine and set your appropriate objectives?
The specific objectives for your business will differ from mine and everyone else’s. However, “appropriate objectives” essentially equate to the fewest number of accomplishments that will allow you to reach your goal.
I first heard this definition years ago and love it.
Think about it — why would you take 20 steps when you could take 5 and get to the same place? Adding to your “to do” or “action” list only costs more time and reduces your productivity.
Do you have a to-do list that doesn’t end? Are you always running from one thing to the next without the proper time to dedicate to the really important things in your business? Do you ever lack clarity on what needs to get done today, this week, this month? Have you ever looked back over the past 6 or 12 months in disappointment at what you achieved, especially when you consider how hard you worked to move your business forward?
If you answered “yes” to any of those, you’re likely chasing too many meaningless tasks (and/or bright shiny objects) instead of working on your fewest appropriate objectives.
When you zero in on your appropriate objectives, and ONLY your appropriate objectives, you’ll start to see things change within your business almost immediately.
You’ll become crystal clear on what your goals are at all times. You’ll be able to tell in an instant what opportunities are in line with your ultimate goals and which aren’t. Decisions won’t be an issue — you’ll immediately know whether something is for you or not. You’ll make immediate and constant progress. You’ll start to see your income grow, your business expand and ultimately not only achieve but exceed your success goals.
The issue is that few entrepreneurs have appropriate goals and objectives. Some have the wrong goals or the wrong objectives and, unfortunately, the only way to know this for sure is to implement and measure your results.
Far more have too many goals, too many objectives competing for their attention. You can easily become overwhelmed and stop taking action. This is often caused by a lack of quick decision making, saying “yes” to most things and not fully understanding your business model so you don’t know which objectives will serve you best.
Regardless of the reason you don’t have appropriate goals and objectives, one thing is clear…you won’t obtain the results you want. No matter how hard you work. No matter how much money you spend.
You’ll end up spending time learning things you don’t need to know, doing things that don’t need to be done and neglecting the priorities that should be demanding your full attention. You’ll find yourself mired in tasks that are offering minimal or no return for the energy you’re putting into them.
Moreover, in your efforts to do too much, you end up getting the exact opposite of what motivated you to take on too much in the first place. By doing MORE, you actually end up getting LESS. Not the business you were hoping for…
In order to create appropriate goals and objectives, first you need to answer the below questions:
- What exactly do I want from my business? Specifically define what your ideal business looks like.
- What is the absolute minimum necessary I need to achieve it? Describe what a business perfectly designed to achieve your goals would look like.
- What is the fastest and easiest path to get it done? Check your ideal business against what you’re currently doing and note what needs to change.
From this place of truly knowing what you want for your life and how your business fits into that (remember: “life” first, “business” second), you’ll be able to take a fresh look at your current goals and objectives and identify what stays, what goes and what gets tweaked.