The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – Lao Tzu

Wise words from Lao Tzu, especially when it comes to our businesses.

I’ve always loved the start of a New Year. Like the pages of a new journal that has not been written in yet. You get to start all over again – afresh.

I don’t know about you, but every year I set myself audacious goals.

In 2013 I set some pretty major goals for myself – then life happened.

My elderly mother was diagnosed with bowel and lung cancer, so the first half of the year was involved with doctor, surgeon and specialist appointments – not leaving me much time (or focus and energy) to work on my business.

With my mother being diagnosed cancer free and back on her feet again (praise the Lord), the second half of the year wasn’t without its challenges either.

I was diagnosed with severe anemia – so needed to be extra careful of my energy levels, which pretty much was zero.

Life happens. You just have to go with the flow – especially when it has to do with someone you love, or your own health.

So, this year, more than any other – I’m really excited to getting a fresh start.

While I didn’t achieve all of the goals I set for myself – I did achieve the major goals, which I believe was due to these three things:

1. Get your goals out of your head and onto paper

There’s something magical and powerful about writing down your goals.

In fact research has proven that people who just think about their goals and what they need to do to achieve them, succeed less than 50% of the time.

I create a Master List of all the major goals (and intentions) for the year in a journal.

I then break down them into quarterly and monthly goals and actions I need to take in order to achieve them.

I follow a Powerful Bold Goal process, which I’ve also used with my clients.

Things just seem to fall into place. Was it by accident? I don’t think so. It was because I took the time to map out my goal using this process.

So put aside time to not only write down your goals, but also break them down into doable quarterly and monthly goals and steps. You can get a copy of my Powerful Bold Goal process here: www.BizSuccessKit4Coaches.com

2. Get clear on your big why

In the past I would set BIG goals, yet if I was honest – I just didn’t feel connected to or inspired by them.

My income goal was just a number.

The amount I’d like to grow my list by was just a number.

The amount of clients I’d like to work with was again, just a number.

Have you ever felt like that?

So instead of just ‘numbers’ I delved deeper and asked myself: “Why? Why do I want to achieve these goals? What will this mean I can do? What impact can I make if I achieve these goals?”

Once I started asking these deeper questions the flood gate was open.

For me, my why is to inspire possibility and greatness in the lives of everyone I meet.

My personal mission plan is to inspire hope and possibility in the lives of children in underdeveloped countries so they can have the opportunity to have an education and make everyday choices that we are so blessed to have in western countries, and often take for granted.

Now THAT inspires and empowers me.

What inspires you? What’s your big why?

3. Share your goals with someone

There’s nothing more empowering than knowing there is someone who is holding that space for you to step powerfully into action towards achieving your goals.

The same study that found writing down your goals was important also identified that sharing your goals with an accountability partner and keeping them updated regularly as to how they were going had 75% higher success rate than those people who tried to go it alone.

Do you have an accountability partner? If not, we should talk. This is something I believe is crucial and therefore incorporate into all my programs. Let’s connect on one of my complementary Business Breakthrough Strategy Sessions.

So there you go – three important steps that’ll help you rock your goals for 2014.

Which will you be implementing? I hope all three!