I believe that anyone can start afresh at any moment, but the change of year is especially inspiring which is why every year many of us come up with resolutions about health, career, relationships, and other aspects of life that we wish to improve.
However, as the year progresses, fewer people manage to stay committed to achieving these goals. Only 10 percent of people will take the time to write down what they want to accomplish, and only 2 percent will actually take the steps to make these goals a reality.
The failure can be attributed to a lack of proper self-evaluation which goes hand in hand with setting new goals. Self-evaluation is essential to both personal and professional development, so it helps drive careers and businesses forward. When we take the time to pause and reflect on last year’s experiences, we allow ourselves to sort out our needs, priorities, and opportunities for growth to determine our vision and mission for the year ahead and make sure that we are headed in that direction.
Focus is key
Perhaps the biggest question we must ask ourselves during self-evaluation is “Why?” Whenever I don’t take action towards a certain goal, I realize that my reason behind a goal was not clear enough. Before taking any steps to make a goal a reality, ask yourself, “Why do I really want this? Why am I focusing on this right now?”
Figuring out your “whys” is always anchored to information, so the best way to start evaluating your business is to look at as much data as possible—a way where our great team at Celebree can make sure that we deliver our level-best. Take the time to review all those summaries, reports, and analytics you have from the past year from budget, plans, and finances to customers, competitors, transactions, feedback, trends, and leads. The more information you have, the better. Comprehensive data is an asset that allows you to recognize your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks; so you can be aware of your performance and market position, understand customers, solve problems, and improve processes and strategies. This knowledge helps you make informed business decisions that can give you a competitive advantage.
Set SMART goals
Once you have identified your core reasons, the next step is ensuring that you have what is commonly known as a SMART goal. A SMART goal is one that is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself and your entire team by setting out unrealistic visions and expectations. Whether it is short-term or long-term, a definite goal is more likely to be achieved. It aligns your focus and helps you manage your time and resources well. It guides you in answering the next big questions. “How do I get started?” “What do I need to achieve my goals?” What steps and tools will I need?”
While a vague, generic goal can be daunting and can cause you to quit at the first sign of difficulty, a SMART goal empowers you to hit business milestones that can lead to a new goal or set of goals. Hence, every clear-cut goal keeps your business moving forward toward success.
Success takes a lot of work, yes, but careful self-evaluation can lighten the load and go a long way. All that is left for you to do is remain dedicated to your plans. So, cheers to a fruitful 2021! Nothing can stop you other than yourself.
What are your goals for 2021? Share them with us! Know more about what’s in store at Celebree School this year and the opportunities we want to share with you at celebree.com/franchising.
