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 work get in the way, you may feel less motivated. Here are some ideas on how to stay motivated.

Goals and Tasks

Keep a written copy of your goals on your desk and review them often so you can keep your “eyes on the prize”. I also create a running task list (that I write out in a notebook). I have actually learned, through my Life Coaching certification course through The Life Coach School, that you should do a brain dump of all your action items once a week, then schedule them on your calendar and throw away your task list… but if I throw away my task list, I may lose some important stuff because there are things that are not going to fit in my calendar. So… I keep a running list and review it at the beginning of every week. The I pull the ones that are my priorities and schedule those.

Please note that it is normal, as you progress through your plan, to find that some goals or tasks are no longer relevant. Perhaps you have changed your business initiatives and some of the previous goals are no longer valid. It is a worthwhile exercise to review your business goals on a regular basis to make sure that you are on track with your vision for your company. I would recommend reviewing your business goals at least twice a year, if not quarterly.

Benefits of Completing the Goals

You are responsible for taking your business to the next level. You have to know WHY you want to achieve these goals. Think about the benefits of completing the goals for your business. Why do you want this for yourself and your business? For example, if you are in the health/fitness industry, your WHY may be helping others take control of their lives instead of their weight/health issues taking control. There is a reason why you started your business. It will help if you post your WHY on your desk or on the wall in a nice frame. Put it somewhere that you will see it several times throughout the day. As your eyes sweep over it, take a moment to read and really feel that passion behind your why.

What if You Don’t Do That Task?

Another way to motivate yourself to keep on track with your goals is to imagine what may happen if you don’t complete them. You may stop signing new clients or stop selling your product and your business will grow stagnate. Imagining what will happen if you don’t complete the task or goal can be a great way to ensure that you keep pushing forward.

Celebrate Milestones

When you reach a milestone, find ways to reward yourself and your team. This can be as simple as going out for a celebratory drink after work, catering a lunch at the office, buying a new suit/outfit, etc. Whatever makes sense for your business and will inspire you and your team to reach for the next milestone. Achieving goals often becomes habit-forming (the good kind) so the more you do it, the higher the chances that you and your business will succeed.