Joyce Bone

To create the best and most rewarding year ever in business, figure out where and on what to focus your efforts. This is accomplished by creating a vision and then setting goals. In that order, because before you can define your goals, you need to step back and consider the big picture. Start by designing your ideal life. If all your dreams came true, what would that look like? Feel like? Sound like? Use all of your senses to imagine it in as much detail as possible. Create an exciting vision of your future and then write it down.

Farah Perelmuter, founder and CEO of an ultra-successful Canadian speaker's bureau, told me, "Starting in my teenage years I visualized exactly how my office would look. I would have a view of the CN Tower. I would have a private elevator that opened into my office. My desk would be glass. Today, that is exactly what I have. The office I dreamed of as a young girl."

It may feel unnatural to write your vision in such detail, but as Farah's story shows, it works! So try it. If you're having trouble getting started, flip through a few magazines for inspiration and clip out pictures that represent the things/lifestyle you want. Then, as a constant reminder and to help you stay focused, tape the clippings onto a poster board and put it in a spot you look at every day.

Once you have a clear idea of your vision, start putting your goals in writing. It will be easier if you "chunk" it into bite-sized pieces. Don't edit yourself; just jot down whatever comes to mind and let your dream vision guide you. If you can't finish the list in one sitting, take your time and spread out the task over several days. That's what I did when I decided to start my first business. I had no idea what I even wanted to do, so every day for ten days I wrote down a list of ten ideas off the top of my head until I hit upon the right one. Two years later I was the co-founder and major shareholder of a publicly-traded company that was generating revenues of $50 million a year.

If you're serious about making a change in your life, then do what successful people do and make a plan. To help yourself keep on target, here's a checklist of questions to ask yourself as you formulate your goals:

o Are these goals really my own? Don't come up with goals that are based on what you think you should do, or what someone else wants you to do.

o Are these goals meaningful to me? In setting goals, you're charting a journey that will inevitably have obstacles. Ask yourself if the goal is worthy of your total commitment. If it's truly exciting, the odds are much better that you will stick with it. Another way to size it up is to ask yourself, "What am I willing to give up to pursue this goal?"

o Are my goals specific and measurable? The statement "I want to make more money" is not a tangible business goal. "I want to make an additional $10,000 before March 31, 2009 by acquiring three new customers," on the other hand, is. See the difference?

o Are my goals flexible? If a great opportunity comes along that doesn't fit in with your current goals, don't be so rigid you ignore it.

o Are my goals in alignment with my values? Be sure they include both giving and receiving.

o How will my goals be supported? Share your goals with only those people in your life who are truly supportive. You don't need anyone dampening your drive and energy with their negativity.

By using these guidelines to arrive at your goals, you will be amazed at the results and soon hooked on the process.

TIP: Print up your top-priority goals and place them in a frame on your desk/ work space. It will serve as a gentle reminder to stay focused on the activities that lead to your goals. Remember these words: Whatever you focus on expands, and that which you ignore recedes. Make it the best year ever!

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