Cheers to another year! It’s the time of the year where people are setting goals and making resolutions. And as business owners, you should maximize this time to set goals with your team so everyone in the organization is aligned and knows where to put their focus and energy. After all, successful companies set goals.

Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, also shares the same sentiment. In his recent blog, the British mogul emphasized the importance of setting goals and why it is better to set goals than doing nothing at all. He also shared five simple steps that will help you stick to your goals and achieve them.

1. Write down your goals

Study shows that writing down will help you remember things better. This is why we are trained to take down notes during classroom discussions or even have someone take minutes during meetings.

"Make sure you have personal goals as well as business goals. There’s no real separation between work and life, it’s all just living. The same goes for lists."

Whether in your notebook, tablet, or laptop, you have to write it down so you can have a mental picture of your goals and you can review it once in a while. You can also post it somewhere that you can regularly see so you can remember it every day. “No idea is too small, and no idea is too big either,” Branson explains.

2. Have multiple lists

Branson suggests to “have a few lists” for goal setting. “One of far off, outlandish goals and another of manageable tasks to complete every day. This way you can set your vision and be taking steps to get there each day. Make sure you have personal goals as well as business goals. There’s no real separation between work and life, it’s all just living. The same goes for lists.”

3. Celebrate your completed task with a checkmark

There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your goals getting ticked off from time to time. “Celebrate your successes (and make more lists of new goals).” No matter how big or small the goals you have achieved, you should never forget to rejoice and cheer yourself for accomplishing it.

Also read: Setting measurable goals is the key to driving business success

4. Make your goals measurable

Break down your big goals into smaller steps so you can easily track its progress. “There’s no point setting targets if you don’t know if you are hitting them,” says Branson. 

5.  Share your goals with others

“You can help motivate each other further and hold each other to account,” he explains. Find an accountable partner who can remind and encourage you to achieve your goals.  “But remember that, in the end, you are doing this for yourself,” Branson concludes.

Also read: Growth strategies for 2020: What you can learn from successful businesses

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