Every year in the fall I sit down and write a business plan for the upcoming year.  I plan out what I can do differently and identify the things that are really working well for me.  The MOST important thing that I do when I put this business plan together is set my goals for the next year.  I also put a rewards system into place. 

I give a copy of this business plan to my broker.  We both keep copies of it and meet quarterly to see if I'm on track with my plan.   He doesn't require this of me.  I asked him to do that for me and he kindly obliges.  I like the accountability.  He thinks its funny... but it works for me.  However, in the fall I spend a longer time looking at my spreadsheets, my budget and my P&L sheets.  The bottom line is writing down these goals and sharing them with others makes them your reality! 

I think goals are critically import.  As are the rewards!  It gives us all something to focus on and strive for.  However, I think that the bigger reason I set goals is so I can measure my success against what I think is important.  NOT what someone else thinks is important.  I work for my family and myself.  I stay very focused on the fact that what I want out of life differs from what others want.  My goals motivate me!

I set personal goals as well as professional ones.  The goals are not all financial.  Some goals are spiritual.  Some goals are about my relationships.  The goals I set involve all avenues of my life.  Typically all my goals end up on my business plan because I see my business as a way to achieve many of my goals.  Not just financially, but also from a time management aspect.  Again, I'm very big on rewarding myself for achieving my goals.  I work to live, not live to work.

By the name of this post, you can probably guess that I have a "thing" for Maui.  I do!  To me Maui is heaven on earth. So every year, I put "a trip to Maui" on my list of goals...Or rather as a reward for reaching my financial goals.  To remind myself about this goal, I put pictures of my Hawaiian vacations out.  I also randomly put a reminder in my Outlook reading, "when are you going to Maui?"  I know that may sound silly to some of you, but it works for me.  I actually put reminders in my calendar for many of my goals! 

I hope that this post will encourage those of you who do not set goals to start setting them.  Set long & short term goals.  Set personal and professional goals.  Make sure you reward yourselves for a job well done.  You'll deserve it!   

My husband & I in Hawaii... happy times!