By Sue DiFranco
Copyright © 2001 Sue DiFranco/Fun Facts Publishing  

By this point in your scrappin' career, you've probably read a library-full of business books, and you may have noticed that some of the general advice tends to get repeated. However, repetition doesn't always guarantee you're going to actually follow the advice - it may just be shelved in your brain for future use.

One of the things many experts advise is to write down your goals. Now, if you're like me, you might think, "Well, I KNOW what my goals are. Why should I write them down? And who has the time anyway?" In fact (I am slightly ashamed to admit), I was running my business for almost two years before I finally decided to put my goals in writing. And you know what? IT WORKS! Once you sit down and actually write things down, not only do you get more accomplished during the day, but you also feel more positive and productive AND you believe that your goals can and will happen.

Here are some tips on starting your Goals Sheet:
  Set aside some time to dig deep into your brain and "think." Then, jot down everything that comes into your mind - things you need to do (however trivial), things you want to accomplish, etc.
  Write down "goals" for different parts of your life (home, spiritual, physical, and of course, business).
  Break down the goals into different time frames. For example, set goals for today ("tasks"), the week, the month, and each month following that. Then, set goals for next year, five years from now, 10 years from now, and so on.
  Your daily and weekly goals might look like a "To-Do" list, and that's fine. These are the things you need "to do" to reach the accomplishment of your goals.
  Write down everything - even things you think you will remember. The act of crossing items off your list will be tremendously satisfying.
  Overplan your day. Instead of writing 4 things, write 14. It will inspire you to accomplish more, and even if you don't accomplish all 14 - so what? There's always tomorrow! 
  Finish each evening by going over your goals. If you read them before you go to bed, it will help your subconscious to visualize what you are going to accomplish. Also, if you know what you want to accomplish the next day, it will stop your head from jumping all over the place as you try to fall asleep.
  When you wake up, begin your day by going over your goals again. Read what you'd like to accomplish that day, as well as your goals for the year, five years from now, and ten years from now. Visualize it in detail.
  Prioritize your daily goals. Set time frames if you feel it will help you get more accomplished (for example, 12PM-2PM - Online Marketing. 2PM-3PM - Write newsletter.)
  Shoot for the moon! The rule in archery is to always shoot higher than the bullseye to compensate for gravity. Likewise, dream big! Don't let Negative Nelly tell you to set goals for anything less. Is your goal to be a multi-million dollar company? Write it down! To expand and launch new areas of your business? Write it down! To be featured on the cover of USA Today? Write it down! Visualize it and believe it - it WILL happen. 

We've heard a lot about the power of positive thinking, and it's a very important part of running your own business. It takes a lot of courage, strength, vulnerability, and dedication to choose the "other path" when so many others travel down the working-for-others road. And those others, whether through ignorance or envy, may try to make you stumble by tossing "negativity stones" on your path. If they are close to you (family and friends, even spouses), they may even believe they are "just being realistic," or telling you "for your own good." They might scoff at your goals and tell you to quit dreaming.

Although experts recommend to avoid any negative influence in your life, this can be hard when you're living with one! This is why your Goals sheet is so important. These are YOUR goals and they WILL be accomplished. Go over each one and visualize it. What will it be like when you are running a million dollar company? Where will your headquarters be? Visualize it. How many employees will you have? What will you be doing each day? Visualize it.

The whole point of positive thinking and visualization is to trick your subconscious. Your subconscious doesn't have the ability to determine right from wrong; it hears what you tell it (either out loud or in your mind) and believes it. After a 20-year study on success, Earl Nightingale discovered the simple truth: "We become what we think about." Become successful! Write down your goals; read them every day; visualize success. And when Negative Nelly starts nagging in your head, have Successful Sandy boot her right out of there!