Goal Writing Checklist

Speak the Langauge of the Goals

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Be Specific

Use numbers, such as making $500 or getting 70 sign ups, to make your goals as specific and tangible as possible.

Avoid being overly general. You want to define exactly what you want to reach with each goal.

When writing your goals, ask yourself how much, for whom and for what? These questions will help you to be more specific.

The best goals have expected outcomes that are stated clearly and simply.

Use action verbs as much as possible so that your goals don't feel too lazy.

Make 'em Measurable

Use lots of quantifiers when writing your goals to hold yourself accountable.

If you can look at a result and mentally check whether or not you met your goal, you're speaking the language of the goals!

You can measure success easier if you state you goals in terms of quality, quantity, timelines or costs. Saying that you want to write 20 blog posts by February 2020 is much more measurable than saying that you want to start a blog.

A is for Achievable

Each of your goals should have outcomes that are realistic based on your current situation.

Take into account your resources and availablity when thinking of whether or not you can achieve a certain task.

Don't be afraid to push your limits! Keep in mind, you have to know where you're starting from to know if you can reach the end zone. A challenge is AWESOME but an unattainable goal will de-motivate you and make you feel like a failure.

Be honest with yourself but don't settle for the small stuff. If you can easily accomplish a goal with little effort, try re-working it so you have something to strive for.

Relate to 'em

Remember your vision statement from Day 4? Your goals should be relevant to the vision you have for yourself and for your biz.

Consider the ultimate end result that you want. That end result may be that you want to spend more time with your family, or it may be that you want to make a difference in your community with your work. Whatever your vision is, work it into your goals.

Relevant goals will help you achieve your "bigger" objective.

Timing is Everything

Your goals should be time-bound whenever possible. State when you want to reach your goal so you'll be able to clearly see if you've met it or not.

Deadlines motivate and energize you! Tell yourself, "by Februrary 1st" or "in 3 months". You may find that you're much more focused on your goals than ever before.

Give yourself enough time to complete a goal. You want to set a realistic timeframe for yourself so you don't feel pressured or too laid-back.

The Bottom Line

Success is not always so easy to define. There may not be performance reviews with the boss or quarterly raises or company awards to win. But when you know what you want and have a vision in sight, you can measure your success by how well your biz goals reflect your personal expectation.