Goal Setting Adds Purpose To Your Online Business
"Success boils down to how much you're willing to sacrifice."
-Jim Collins, Good to Great
Do you want your online business to succeed? Then it's time for the most important step: goal setting. By setting clear goals and putting in the hours, you’ll establish a sense of purpose that will propel your business toward success. Here are some goals worth considering when starting an online business.
## What are some different types of goals people should have for their online businesses? A general goal would be creating an e-book that attracts as many readers as possible or building a website people will love. A specific goal could be selling a particular product or bringing in enough sales to pay for your web hosting and domain name.
## What are some good ways to set goals? Setting goals is not a decision that should be made lightly. It's a critical aspect of nearly every aspect of business.
A good rule of thumb is to pick one goal per month . Set goals in the beginning, then review them regularly so you don't find yourself stuck in the sand. If your goals are vague and generic, it will be difficult to measure your progress toward them and you may give up too early or too easily.
Here are some resources on setting effective goals: http://www.drlionheart.com/site-building/essay-topics/setting-goals.html
## What are some ways to keep your goals going? If you find yourself falling short of your goals, don't give up. Review your goals and make sure they are truly attainable.
**The trick to keeping motivation is just to keep looking for new opportunities . When you write a goal, it's usually because you have an idea or opportunity you can take advantage of. Something will come along to replace the one you're working on, so don't burn yourself out on something you might not achieve. Just keep a positive attitude and keep looking for new opportunities.
## What are some common failures of new businesses or even experienced companies? I see two:
First, it's easy to get distracted with all the other business ideas or websites out there. You need to focus on the idea that is most likely to make money while keeping your costs at a minimum. That way, you're improving your chance of long-term success.
Second, it's easy to fall prey to analysis paralysis . As you get more and more ideas, you may find you can't actually do all the things that are floating around in your brain and fall into a hole of procrastination. The worst thing you can do is to not set goals because then even if the idea is good there's no way to know for sure it will work.
## What can new businesses learn from experience businesses? If a business has been online for a while already, they are more likely to know what works and what doesn't. This has one advantage: when making money, they tend to be more targeted in their sales efforts. You'll not waste time and money on the wrong products or sales channels. This guide explains how to "fake it till you make it." http://www.websitesuccessninja.com/post/91374332099/how-to-fake-it
## What are some common consequences of never setting goals? First, you don't have a point of reference for where you've been and where you're heading. Second, without knowing what success looks like, it's easy to get discouraged and even depressed because of your lack of progress. Third, without goals it seems like a nice idea but impossible to achieve.
## What should online businesses do to keep their goals going? There are two things you want to make sure your business is doing:
**Knowing that you have a goal = knowing you'll still be around in 20 years.
**Working to achieve the goals = working toward reaching the finish line. The more progress you make, the easier it will be to succeed. In fact, as you make progress, it will be easier and easier to stay motivated and go for it!
## What if your goals conflict or even contradict each other? It happens. Many people have different goals with their businesses, but they all help move them toward success. There is nothing wrong with several goals, as long as you know what they are, who they serve and why you believe they are important.
## What should online businesses do if they reach their goal? Achievement is great, but the real test comes when you've achieved it. I was talking to someone once who said she wasn't "ready" for her business to sell. I asked: How much would the sale amount to? $100,000? $1 million? $10 million? She said she wanted more time for herself and her family. It's like saying you're not "ready" for the baby to be born, but you don't want it because you're tired of diapers.
What are your goals? Do you have any questions or tips to add? Please leave a comment!
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So what do YOU think about this topic?
Please take a second to let us know in the comments below.
I often wonder what motivates people to follow blogs and websites that share their personal stories. Usually I think it is curiosity with wanting to read how others live life…but maybe there is something more that drives us too.
Maybe we are playing the game of "I want to be like them" and I think that is where many people get in to trouble. For example, I have seen many women focus too much time into fitness and not enough time into health. Of course it doesn't help that everyone has the power of social media to pose with perfect body images and always look wonderful. But then why does anyone blog about their journey away from these ideals?
Well for me it is more about someone who is willing to speak out about their story because they know how important it is for others to be able to relate…and perhaps it will help them move past their own issues or challenges they were facing.
Many of us have been there. We have seen how someone has lived a life we wished we had but only to realize that they were not always at the top of their game either.
It is not a matter of where you are in life but how you get there and why. I think that all comes down to motivation.
I was listening to Oprah today and she talked about habits and goals (or lack there of) in connection with her show on happiness. One thing she said was "if you do what you have always done, then you will get what you have always got." She went on to say that if we don't change our routine then it will be hard for us to grow as individuals or at our job positions.
CONCLUSION
So what does any of this have to do with website traffic? Everything.
It is no secret that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is a fool's errand. You've got to keep an open mind when learning something new. This doesn't mean you must give up your path but you have to be willing to change it up and make it work for you.
If you are trying something new for traffic but are not seeing the results you want, the first thing to do is re-examine what is working for people who are currently getting their target keyword traffic.