Today’s Guest Expert is David Cohen,
Small Business Big Ideas
**David is answering questions and offering his wisdom to you today! Share your thoughts in the comment boxes below.**
Oh, it is that time of year when we set goals and set the intention for what we want to create in 2012… So what do we do when those new goals don’t quite take shape the way we want too? Now I know you are scratching your heads, saying to yourselves, he did say New Goals right and not resolutions? Yes indeed I did say goals. Personally I don’t like resolutions, they are too short term to me and chances are they get broken within a week or two. Right? Yeah, you know because you’ve made a few and broken a few in your lifetime, so have I.
So, goals to me seem to last longer. They are long term. I mean if you take a hockey player or a soccer player who scores a goal, they last so long that they go into record books and onto the back of hockey cards. So goals are long lasting.
- SMART goals are measurable. (photo credit: jronaldlee)
This new year coming up, I say resolve to set goals. Goals have to be SMART too. By smart I don’t mean that it’s a comparison between silly goals and smart goals…I mean maybe a silly goal is the thing you need to motivate you this year…
When I say SMART, I am referring to goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. You can actually look at the goals you are setting and you can actually achieve it, there is a measurement to it, it’s possible for you to achieve it and do so in a timely fashion.
You see, when you make goals you want to tip the scales of success in your favour. I love reaching my goals and so I set them around the 5 cornerstones of my life. I take a wholistic approach to goal setting.
In fact, I call my wholistic approach, the “SWIFT” method. I set goals within this framework so that all aspects of my life are in balance.
To me, my life is based on S…which are “SOCIAL” goals, one of the social goals I set out to accomplish each year is to go on a blind date for example, yes I am single and am wanting to meet that certain special someone. Another “SOCIAL” or “S” goal is to have a party with friends and another one is to go see jazz concerts…these are definitely attainable goals…and they’re fun too!
My “W” in the “SWIFT” method is “WORK” goals. Being in business I want to work on my website, get 2 new accounts, and develop a new brochure this next few months.
The “I” goals means “INNER”. This involves prayer, meditation, reading, learning…as Dr. Stephen Covey says, these are the things you do to “sharpen the saw” so to speak. Some of my “INNER” goals include prayer and meditation.
My “F” goals mean “FINANCIAL.” Oh yes, I want to pay down my debts like anyone else and contribute to my RRSP and start and RESP too this year…pretty honorable financial goals huh?
Lastly, my “T” goals in the “SWIFT” method refer to the things in my life that need “Taking Care of”. That means health, family and yes my weight watchers meetings…when you combine these core areas of your life I believe you are beginning to live in balance.
So what do you do to keep these goals in sight and what can you do to encourage you to stay focused?
My recommendation is take it all on, live life full out, play by the “SWIFT” method…but divide the tasks up and into categories and headings. The next step is to assign the necessary tasks to accomplish the goals and address the issues in each area of your “SWIFT”.
I do this on a large piece of Bristol board and use 3M post-it-notes to write down each action step I need. On the Post-it-notes are the tasks or goals. Once completed, I remove each note and put up a new task that needs to be done.
The post-it-notes act as big reminders for me and give me focus. On each note are the actions I need to take in each area of my business. The Bristol board can be decorated and fun. If you want, you can include motivational sayings and pictures as decorations and to help keep you motivated during the lean times.
Once you are re-focused to the tasks you need to take on in your business, you start to feel good because you are always in action around key areas of your business. And trust me…when you are in action, those results will come!
So work on creating your “Action Board”. It’s amazing when you think about things to do in your business, write down your goals and actions and see it in front of you every day, what can happen. I use a board similar to this and I find it keeps me focused.
Below, I have an example of an “Action Board” for you to see what I am talking about. As you can see, the chart lists each key goal or task. Use post-it-notes so that once one task is complete you can remove it and identify another task, goal or action step.
So don’t get panicky about resolutions set goals around the areas that really matter to you this year. Just take action and stay in action. You will love the results!
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David Cohen – Small Business Big Ideas
David Cohen has been in sales and marketing since 1986. In 1999 a career and life shift occurred and he began to coach and train small business owners and hasn’t looked back since. Since then, David has taught over 1500 clients through various government sponsored small business development training initiatives and programs. He’s also spoken at conferences, trade shows and business networking groups. He’s a dynamic speaker and coach that comes from the heart and soul.
Today, David is a business coach and facilitator working with new business start-ups via the Ontario Self Employment Benefit program in Whitby and he heads up the Entrepreneurship Training Programs for Newcomers to Canada at the Learning Enrichment Foundation. He also does work with Future Watch a leading Environmental learning organization David is a sought after coach and speaker in both the non profit and for profit business organizations as well. David was also the host, producer of the Small Business Big Ideas Radio Show from scratch 8 years ago (August 17th, 2002) on CKDO 1580 AM and 107.7 FM in Oshawa. He is re-launching the radio show online on Radio That Doesn’t Suck dot com in May 2011 and has a business book forthcoming. www.smallbusinessbigideas.com
**David is answering questions and offering his wisdom with you today! Share your thoughts in the comment boxes below.**
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I am an innovative coach and love inspiring you to find soul-satisfying success for your creative endeavors. I am also a writer, author, and "laptop lifestyle" enthusiast.