As we near the end of this year and start of the new year it’s a time when we reflect on what Goals we achieved over the last 12 months (and what we didn’t) and that a new year brings another chance to achieve “that Goal”!

From my experience of 9 years as a Business Coach working with CEO’s, Business Owners, Entrepreneurs & Sales people, here are my 10 practical coaching tips to help achieve your goals next year.

10 Tips to Achieve Goals

1. Clear the Decks

Before any journey, a good sailor always clears the decks before they set sail. By doing this it helps declutter the physical space and also the mental space so can think about trip ahead and able plan clearly eg write down a list of the things that are still not done, tidy your office space and declutter / throw out any old stuff so clear the decks before the new year begins.

2. Allocate Time to Think

Have you heard the expression “think before you open your mouth”? Well the same is true for goals, even if you are a task master that flies through to do lists, it’s important to stop & think before you can set your goals & take action.

Dream (think) -> Goal -> Plan -> Action

Christmas is a good time to take some R&R time to rest after a busy year, celebrate with loved ones and take time to think, both reflecting on the year just gone and thinking about the year ahead

3. Choose your Environment

If want to achieve different results or different goals next year to this year as opposed to more of the same then you need to think differently and this requires to choose a different environment to your usual work space to think clearly. This is often why clients come to my office rather than meet at their office when they want to think strategically to get different results.

4. Get Specific – set SMART Goals

We all want more but how much more? More what? If you want more Sales, then how much more? When will you know you have achieved more? In order to have a clear goal it needs to be a target that can aim for and recommend it to be a SMART Goal

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time Based

eg I want to increase sales revenue by 15% from € (X amount to Y amount) by 31st Dec next year.

5. What do you REALLY Want?

Not everyone like the Spice Girls but their song “What do you really, really want?” is a reminder to choose what do you really want that will make a difference to your life and most importantly WHY do you want this goal? Sometimes a goal is to earn extra money but what will that extra money do for you eg to be able go on a holiday, upgrade the car etc.

6. Action! Take the 1st Step

Whatever your goal the important thing is to START and take the 1st step, ideally an easy small step within 24 hours to get started. Then another small step, then another to get momentum and underway. A ship cross the ocean by small step of untying ropes and moving slowly away from the dock.

7. Manage Your Time Wisely

Use a Diary. One that you will look at daily. I prefer a hard copy diary that can see, hold and use as a business tool rather than online on my phone.

Allocate time to work on your goals. Put in a time in your diary that you will work on the next step. Whether you are someone that puts things off or a person that’s very busy this works for both types of people.

8. Get a Coach or Buddy

Both a Coach and a Buddy believe in you, will encourage & praise you but only a Coach will hold you accountable and not let you off the hook when you need that nudge and coach you to move forward to achieve your goals.

9. Stretch Yourself

In order to grow and achieve more you need to get out of your comfort zone. Push yourself to do things differently, to do more, to go the extra step.

10. Celebrate Success

Break down the goal into milestones eg an Annual Goal into Monthly or Weekly milestones. When achieve a milestone along the way celebrate the success to reinforce that you are on the right track to achieving your goals.

Here’s to the new year being your best year yet!

If like any help setting your goals or helping you achieve your goals do get in touch

https://businesscoach.ie/contact-us