The Power of Written Goals Should Never Be Forgotten

Archives > February 15, 2009

The Power of Written Goals Should Never Be Forgotten -- My Favorite Goal Setting & Planning Strategies

By James Martell

Ah yes. The power of goals.

Many who work at home run the risk of underachieving due to not having someone else (a boss) defining their work for them.

I learned early on from two business mentors that if you don't have clearly defined written goals or images that represent things you'd like to accomplish that you can easily get lost.

Art Williams, the founder of A.L. Williams, a company I was associated with during the early '90's always stressed this.

It was from him that I got into the weekly habit of visiting the local pub on most Sunday evenings with a pad and pen to write down what I planned to accomplish in the upcoming week over a "cool one".

All that I have accomplished online came about primarily from this habit.

I can easily recall my early determination to build profitable websites (100 plus), launch a live training in a neighboring town, publish an eBook, do revisions, get into pod-casting (two products at this time The Buzz and Coffee Talk), do live BootCamps, online BootCamps, and a whole lot more -- all coming from these brainstorming-on-paper sessions.

Take my Shelby Cobra for instance.

Once my accountant gave me the green light I now needed to think it through and construct it in my mind first.

So, for a few months, in my spare time, I'd Google for suppliers, designs, fittings, colors, cost comparisons, import options, etc.

I printed these and three-hole-punched them into a tabbed binder which went with me everywhere.

And now it's a reality. (see video above)

And if I look at many of the things I have in my life at this point I could list dozens of other great things that started as an idea in my mind which I converted to paper as the very first step.

Of course, you always have to act on your goals so don't forget this critical step as well. But it is so much easier to take the first step after first visualizing the result.

Another technique I've used with great effectiveness is to create a start page with pictures and descriptions of my current goals.

Now things won't magically fall from the sky if you do this.

But I do believe it guides your actions when you know what your working on.

So get some goals. Define them. Write them down. Get some pictures. And keep them before you.

Two resources I'd recommend if you need more help are:

Goals BY Zig Ziglar (Audio-Cassettes)

No body wants a boss. Everybody wants a coach! by Art Williams.

All the best,

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