When you set up your business goals, you have an initial surge of motivation. The planning stages are exciting because of what you may accomplish by proceeding with your plan. However, as time passes and other aspects of your job get in the way, you may feel less motivated to make those achievements happen. Here are some ideas on how to stay motivated.
Keep a written copy of your goals and tasks on your desk. Create a daily task list that you print out and keep near you as you work. Daily tasks are more granular than the task list that supports the goals. You can check them off as you complete them. Make sure those daily tasks are as relevant as possible to the tasks on the master list. It’s understandable that you will have to perform tasks outside of the goals but try to keep those to a minimum.
Think about the benefits of completing the goals for your business. You will be responsible for bringing your business to a new level. Of course, that is dependent on what the goals are. However, even smaller-scaled goals will contribute to the success of the organization in some way.
Sometimes, as you work through your goals and tasks, you may find some that are no longer relevant. Perhaps the company has changed its initiatives, and some of the previous goals are no longer valid. It is a worthwhile exercise to readjust and create alternative plans or even start from scratch. Speak with your manager if the changes are major enough.
Another way to motivate yourself to keep on track with your goals is to imagine what may happen if you don’t complete them. The company may stagnate, or your group may not get the recognition it deserves. This can be a great way to ensure that you push forward and complete your goals.
When you and your team complete a task, find ways to reward yourselves. This can be as simple as going out for a celebratory drink after work. Don’t forget to invite your boss, even if he or she wasn’t as involved as the rest of the team. He or she may have been more involved at a higher level than you realize.
Achieving goals often become habit-forming (the good kind) so the more you do it, the higher the chances you will succeed.