Have you ever had a goal but you didn’t quite know how you were going to attain it? Well, the process of figuring out what you were going to do to get what you wanted is called goal planning and strategy. Of course, you have heard about the S.M.A.R.T. method of setting goals which are to make them, strategic, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. However, there’s more to it than that.

The concept of goal setting is psychological in nature. Like most theories in psychology, goal-setting theory started with the ideas from Dr. Edwin A. Locke, in his article, Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives.   In this article, Locke insists that goals should be clear, challenging, and monitored with feedback and progress on a regular basis. Not only do I agree with Locke’s position for personal goals but professional as well. Locke and colleague Dr. Gary Latham came up with five principles for goal setting.

  1. Clarity – you should be crystal clear on what you want to accomplish.
  2.  Challenge – goals should be attainable but not easy.
  3. Commitment – you must be 100% committed to your goal.
  4. Feedback – you must evaluate your progress.
  5. Task Complexity – how difficult is the goal? You should give yourself enough time to complete complex goals.

Every successful business has a list of goals for the year that are broken down into quarters, months, weeks, and even daily objectives. In order to grow and succeed, the leadership team of that company or organization must plan out how those goals will be attained and who will be responsible for what part of the plan.

An effective achievement plan includes the goal, objectives, strategies, and tactics. Imagine you are planning a trip to Hawaii. Your goal is the particular destination in Hawaii you are trying to reach. Perhaps your objective is to arrive there on a six-hour flight from Atlanta on a particular date. The tactics to help you reach your destination would be booking the flight or hiring a travel agent. As you can see from my example, you have to map out every aspect of how you are going to go from point A to point B.

When you want to achieve anything in life or in business, you must answer three important questions.

  1. THE PLACE – Where do you want to go?
  2. THE PATHWAY – What is the route or pathway you must take to get there?
  3. THE PROCESS – How will you do it? (What process or procedure will you follow?)

Here are 7 KEYS to show you how to start on the pathway of goal achievement.

1. State your goal (s) – Decide what you want to accomplish.
2. Set the objectives – Figure out the milestones that will get you closer to your goals.
3.  Develop Strategies – Map out the strategy which explains how you are going to do whatever your goal is.
4. List tactics – Determine all of the activities that you will need to do to execute your strategy.
5. Identify Benchmarks – Notate the success points you will use to measure your progress.
6. List deadlines – Give yourself specific dates when you will complete certain items and tactics.
7. Manage the Process – Put it all together. You can’t win at goal attainment if you are not managing your execution, documenting your progress, and keeping track of everything.

There’s one thing for sure, the most successful people are goal getters. They set goals and reach them using the essential keys listed above. “Goal Getters Leave Clues.” Lori A. Manns

DO YOU NEED HELP TO PLAN your goals, objectives, or strategy for your brand? Book a Strategy Session Today.

This article was written by Lori A. Manns, President of Quality Media Consultant Group. 

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This article was written by Lori A. Manns. President of Quality Media Consultant Group.  Lori is a multi-award-winning marketing mentor, sales coach, and trailblazing business strategist who works with small business owners and entrepreneurs to help them grow and scale their businesses. She specializes in sales and marketing strategies that result in her clients attracting their target market, gaining brand visibility, and growing revenue. Lori is President of Quality Media Consultant Group, a consultancy firm specializing in media, advertising, marketing, and sales. She is the founder of the Trailblazer Business Academy. where advancing entrepreneurs go to learn growth strategies and how to run a profitable business the soulful way. Lori is also the creator of the Sponsorship Sales Secrets.