Don’t give up, stay focused and achieve your vision

Here we go again!

If your business is based in the UK, you’ll be aware that we are into another month-long lockdown – just when it seemed that the tide was beginning to turn.

But despite this set back, it’s imperative to stay focused, to have a clear vision and stick to it.

Successful business leaders are always guided by a vision of their future – even in the current climate.

As a leader you must build a vision that blends your passion, beliefs and values.  This will keep you on course, focused and motivates your team.

Successful leaders also set goals to realise their overarching vision.

In the next two emails, I’m going to share with you my top 10 tips for setting goals to achieve your vision. Here are the first five:

1. Write it down

Studies show leaders who write down their goals are even more likely to have success getting to where they want to be. Writing your goals down plants the goal in your brain, and once it’s there, it sticks. Even if you’re not consciously aware of the goal on a daily basis, your brain is looking for the opportunity to work on it.

2. Make yourself accountable

From my experience over the years of working with successful leaders to achieve their most audacious goals, I’ve seen that sharing your goals with others – peers, family, friends, your team, your coach – provides an additional incentive and push to “do what you say.” It makes you accountable.

3. Visualize a new reality in vivid colour

All goal-setting starts with seeing something in the future that doesn’t currently exist. Successful leaders see a new and better future more vividly than most. Visualize your future in as much detail as your imagination allows—what it looks like, what it feels like, the conditions that will define it as a success, and everything you want to be true when you make that vision a reality.

4. Choose your words carefully 

A goal helps you set a direction for your efforts. Goals are about articulating your desires and telling yourself where you’re headed. It’s important to use the right words to specify what you want as you write them down.

5. Set a realistic time frame

There’s no such thing as an unrealistic goal, only an unrealistic deadline. Once you have a clear vision and have filled in the details, your mind needs a deadline to take it seriously. Remember, “a goal without a deadline is just a dream.”

When you set your deadline, make sure it’s challenging and exciting, but also achievable. As you decide on your deadline, consider all the events going on in your life and business, as you’ll have many goals in play simultaneously.

Next week, I’ll share with you the final five tips to successfully achieve your vision as a business leader.

So, devote some time now to setting the goals for your business. Do it now – there’s no time like the present.