| ign="center"> | | | | and can be achieved. If not, you won’t |
| For some of us, our dreams are what keep us | | | | accomplish either set of goals and both your |
| going everyday. However, it can become | | | | business and personal life will suffer. If necessary, |
| frustrating when all you have are your dreams. | | | | you need to determine how to modify your goals |
| To be happier and more successful, we need to | | | | so that your business and personal lives |
| turn some of our dreams into reality. Sounds | | | | complement each other. You might have to |
| good, but how does one make that happen? Well, | | | | change jobs or make changes to your business in |
| if you plan it, it will happen! | | | | order to reach your personal goals. If your goals |
| Here are four easy steps for planning your | | | | aren’t aligned and you don’t make |
| success: | | | | any adjustments, you will be unhappy at work. |
| 1. Turn your dreams into goals | | | | This will definitely carry over to your personal life. |
| 2. Create business/job goals | | | | Once you’ve aligned both sets of goals |
| 3. Align your personal and business/job goals | | | | you are ready for the fourth and final step, |
| 4. Create your plan for success | | | | creating your plan for success. This is where you |
| First, start by turning your dreams into personal | | | | make your job or business work for you. Put a |
| goals. Visualize what you want to have, feel and | | | | plan in place to ensure that your goals become |
| experience in life and then create a set of | | | | reality. You do this by developing a set of |
| SMART goals. | | | | objectives to accomplish each goal. This becomes |
| SMART goals are: | | | | your blueprint for success. |
| - Specific — What do you want to | | | | If you plan it, it will happen. A documented plan will |
| accomplish? Why is this important to you? How | | | | eliminate many headaches. You get headaches |
| are you going to reach this goal? Who, other than | | | | when something you didn’t plan for occurs |
| you, is involved? | | | | during the workday, causing you to spend the |
| - Measurable — If you can’t | | | | entire trip home reorganizing the plan you have in |
| measure it, you will never know if you’ve | | | | your head. Having a documented plan enables you |
| accomplished it. Establish criteria for determining | | | | to look over your goals, objectives and strategies |
| how you are progressing towards reaching each | | | | and, using a pen or pencil, make minor changes |
| goal you set. | | | | that account for the unplanned occurrence. This is |
| - Attainable — Make sure the goals you set | | | | much simpler and less painful than trying to |
| are within your reach. When they are, you | | | | reorganize the plan that exists in your head. |
| develop the attitudes, abilities and skills required to | | | | Success isn’t something that will come |
| reach them. | | | | knocking on your door. Only you can make it |
| - Realistic — Set goals you believe you will | | | | happen. You need to turn your dreams into |
| accomplish and can figure out how to make | | | | SMART personal and business goals, align your |
| happen. These goals are doable! | | | | goals and create your plan for success. |
| - Timely — When do you expect the goals | | | | We all have a need to dream, but you need to do |
| to become a reality — next week, next | | | | more than dream to become truly successful. |
| month? Set a timeframe giving you a target to | | | | A Need to Dream |
| work towards and create a sense of urgency. | | | | When an artist begins to paint a scene |
| Now you’re ready for Step 2, creating | | | | Or like a movie theatre with an empty screenÂ… |
| your business or job goals. If you own your own | | | | Is that how our lives would really seem |
| business, you need to determine: | | | | If we weren’t allowed to dream? |
| 1. What you want from your business:a. | | | | For what is life without some fantasy |
| Revenueb. Imagec. Leads | | | | Like being lost, alone on a ship at sea? |
| 2. Why you started your business | | | | Living each day with the same routine |
| 3. Where you see your business in five years | | | | If we weren’t allowed to dream. |
| If you’re working for someone, your goals | | | | A dream so vivid as to almost be real, |
| should be based on: | | | | You want to reach out and actually feel |
| 1. What you want from your job:a. Moneyb. | | | | What it is you’ve wanted year after |
| Successc. Recognition | | | | yearÂ… |
| 2. Why you are working | | | | Kept from reaching because of your fear. |
| 3. Where you want to be in five years | | | | The fear of failure we all happen upon |
| These questions are just a starting point. No one | | | | When the crown of logic is what we don. |
| knows, better than you, about your business or | | | | Satisfaction in merely accomplishing the mean |
| why you are working. Answer these questions to | | | | If we weren’t allowed to dream. |
| formulate your goals and remember to make | | | | Become that artist and paint that scene. |
| them SMART goals. | | | | Fill the movie theatre with a life serene. |
| The third step is to evaluate your personal and | | | | Reach way out for that elusive beam. |
| business/job goals and makes sure they are | | | | It will happen when you do more than dream! |
| aligned. Make certain both sets of goals match | | | | |