Small business owners are ambitious by nature, but this virtue can occasionally
derail your business instead of driving it forward. Ambitions and high
expectations are certainly valuable to your organization, but so are maintaining
basic, achievable goals. Sometimes the simplest approach to your business is
the most effective.
Picking The Lowest Apples First
Getting the ball rolling on your small business can be overwhelming and
frustrating. With so many challenges, both seen and unseen, it’s easy to grow
discouraged during the initial stages of your business development. Likewise,
many small business owners are one-person operations that lack a staff and
support system to keep them on track. By simply concentrating on simple,
achievable goals, like picking the lowest apples off of a tree, you can regain your
composure and build back your momentum. Focus on what is within reach. Small
progress is still progress, and once you feel yourself completing the smaller
tasks, this energy will help you transition into more sizable endeavors.
Three-Month Goals
Setting realistic goals builds your confidence and positively reinforces your
commitment to your business. In contrast, too many unfulfilled goals can clutter
your agenda and move you in the wrong direction, both professionally and
emotionally. By setting short-term goals over a three to six month timeframe,
you’ll be able to focus on your goal while also maintaining some perspective.
Stick to Your Game Plan
Business owners who constantly redefine their mission end up desperate for
direction. Constant rebranding or overanalyzing is actually just masked
procrastination. Commit to the direction you’ve chosen and spend your energy
realizing it, rather than waffling. You can reassess your game plan at a later date,
but you’ll never be able to determine the value of your decision until you invest in
the grunt work. Remember that small goals can foster big results.