The success of your business is in your hands. The path to success is a journey, you can chart your path by setting goals and tracking progress. Change may be the only certainty in business, but you still need to know where you’re going and how you will get there.
To plan for success, write it down or create a visual image of what it looks like. Print it out, frame it, or put it somewhere so you won’t lose sight of it. If you can visualise it, you will be more focused on achieving it! Stay focused while you’re busy with the day-to-day of running your business and don't loose sight of your plans and goals.
Make sure that you are ready for challenges along the way. In the same way you can plan for success, you can also make contingency plans. For example, you’ll need to plan in case of economic downturn, or for lack of inventory if you sell a product. If you know what kinds of obstacles you might encounter on your way to success, you’re more likely to avoid or overcome them. Carry a SWOT analysis of your business, brainstorm the internal Strengths and Weaknesses, and the external Opportunities and Threats that you face. How will you work with or plan for these possibilities?
Check in on your goals at least once a month. Review, evaluate and reassess as necessary. Hold yourself accountable for achieving your goals. If you struggle to be consistent or accountable, think about getting a business coach or mentor to work with you. There are some amazing coaches out there, who are worth their weight in gold!
Celebrate all your successes and learn from the failures. Failures are not something to think about in a negative way - you tried, it didn't work. Take a step back, assess what you could do better next time, refocus and give it another go.
Plan, visualise, focus, review, evaluate, Success!
