Goals and awareness!
Why having goals in a small business is good business.
Have you ever left your home without a destination in mind? Ever play a sport with no real way of understanding who wins or when the game is over? That would probably be uncommon. However, we often do things without being entirely aware of the reason why or the purpose it serves.
Thought Starter
Let me ask you just quickly what purpose or goal you have for your current job or small business?
Think about it for a minute or so and then continue reading. We`ll use this in a little exercise below.
Let me better define what I mean by goals as terminology shouldn`t separate us. When I speak of goals, I mean the reason why you are doing what you do. What are you looking to achieve, in your daily tasks and your business. These can be both financial and money goals, as well as more personal and spiritual. There are not wrong goals, and no bad directions. Goals are just a word to establish why we are doing what we are doing.
Having goals and having an awareness of what your goals are, is critical for you as a creator and business owner to set and understand. Effectively knowing what you want and need from your business helps you directly follow the best path. It can motivate you and help you better understand if the decisions you`re making is in line with the goals you have set.
I can guarantee that every one of you that is working today and/or working a small business have a whole lot of different goals for these activities. Some of them will be basic needs based, some will be complex and drive you on a financial, personal, spiritual level.
The awareness and articulating of those goals are a key step. As much as putting in a destination into a driving app to give you the best route, speaking your goals out loud, tracking them will help you in your daily work as a business owner. It makes the work and effort have purpose and tells us the value of that work and effort.
Then why is it that we struggle at times to be clear on what goals our small business have? We shouldn`t be afraid to make goals or to articulate them out loud. There is no right way to do this, you can write them down, or simply say them to yourself. Having an awareness of your goals is a great first step.
So, ask yourself, do I have a goal for my business? What are my goals?
Now many would say the goals of my business are obvious! To put a roof over my head, food in my belly and take care of my responsibilities! Absolutely correct, it should do all those things at least, and it`s a baseline goal for all our jobs and work to ensure. Now think about what else should your business be achieving. What more can/should it fulfill.
Some readers will already have goals and ideas of what they need or want from their business, and that`s the starting point. Establishing goals is the first step in a path to ensure that your business is working for you and your efforts are moving in the right direction.
Exercise:
Brainstorm you own goals.
Now I would like to give you an exercise you can do on your own.
What is Brainstorming - Youtube
The youtube video can introduce you to simple brainstorming processes as a tool to simply apply as many ideas thoughts and ideas on paper in a quick non judgemental way.
This isn`t about quality it`s quanitity.
A brainstorm is where you just write down anything you think of, just in short form, one or two words. Set a timer on your phone or similar for five minutes and write the first thing that come to mind. When you ask the question.
I encourage you now to take five minutes and find a quite place and a paper and pen/pencil . I`d like you to Brainstorm what you think of when you think of the goals for your business.
What is the goal of my company?
Don`t think too much about them but just let the thoughts hit the paper. Write as many goals and related ideas down as you can, don`t worry about detail don`t worry about weird notes. Everything goes in a brainstorm.
When you`ve done that look at what you wrote. Does what you wrote align with what you first though of at the beginning of this article? Do you have some new goals to think more about.
It`s good business to have an awareness of your goals and purpose for the work you do! Having clear goals will help you shape you make sure your decisions are more focused and in line with those goals.
In future articles we will expand on what the benefits of having goals are, as well as how to set clear goals, for yourself and your business. As well as how to make them measurable and achievable. Additionally, we`ll be adding more articles over time on the site, about topics relevant for small business owners and operators in the creative space.
Thank you for your time.
If you need help understanding what goals for your business might be or help in taking those goals to tangible actions, then please reach out to Department 45 consulting on Instagram @Department45.eu or through our Contact us page.
Tim H.
Lead Consultant
Cover image: by Clay Banks on Unsplash
