Recently I was talking to an entrepreneur about 2011 goal planning. A few minutes into the conversation she told me that one of the more successful approaches she’s encountered is to set three SMART goals at the beginning of the year and do whatever it takes to knock them out of the park. Too often people set too many goals, or no goals, and then aren’t able to adequately measure their progress. Some tips for the three goals:
- Make the goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and include a timeline (SMART)
- Ask advisors, friends, and family to hold you accountable on just these three goals (any more makes it difficult to focus and for others to remember)
- Put the goals on a post-it note on your bathroom mirror so that you see it every morning
- Set a recurring event in your calendar for the first day of every month to email you to review your progress against the goals
- Knock the goals out of the park and start thinking of your next set of goals
What else? How do you like to do annual goals?
David Cummings on Startups 