Hopefully you read part 1 of this article on Wednesday where I shared the first two of my five favorite tips for setting goals to increase the chances of you meeting them.

They included the important step of writing your goals down and listing past successes to help get you in the right frame of mind.

Here are my remaining three tips for smart goal setting:

Be specific. Don’t set vague goals, be very specific and make sure your goals are realistic, measurable and attainable. Instead of a general statement that you want to be healthy in 2009, write your goal as, “Lose 5 pounds per month and exercise 30 minutes each day.”

And if your general goal is to double your profit and you have your own business, be specific about how that could be achieved. For example, “add one more project or client per month and reduce operating costs by 50%.” This puts you in the right mindset to be able to plan how you’ll achieve that goal.

Tell someone. Another good way to increase your chance of success is to declare your goals to others and find someone to hold you accountable as you work towards meeting them.

But choose who you share your goals with carefully. It needs to be someone who genuinely wants you to succeed and won’t feel insecure or threatened by your success. If for example, you and your best friend are both overweight and she has no intention of losing, she likely won’t support you in your own weight loss goals.

If you’re trying to grow your own business and you’re surrounded by others on the road to bankruptcy, they’ll be in no position to support your growth. For these reasons, it’s sometimes preferable to hire a coach. Their role is to support your success and motivate you to keep going with the added benefit that they’re not personally involved in your situation. This makes them more objective.

Use visuals. You’ve probably heard of a ‘Vision Board’. Maybe you have one or maybe you’ve brushed the idea off.

The truth is a strong visual representation of your goals can help you reach them. If you want to start your own business, for example, clip out photos from magazines that represent that to you. Don’t be too literal. Think also of what being in your own business will mean to your income, sense of self and lifestyle. When you look at those images, your subconscious will continue to keep you focused on achieving your goals without you even knowing it.

Make 2009 the last year you set those same goals for yourself by setting yourself up for success from the beginning.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Intrepid entrepreneur and home staging expert Debra Gould, also known as The Staging Diva, has been running her own business since 1989. She knows how to make money as a home stager and has taught over 1000 others to use their decorating talents and run their own home staging business in the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.

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