Virtual Assistance Business Briefs » Goals

Five Reasons to Give Up On Your Goals

Jeannine Clontz — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:22:58 +0000

Giving up sounds so negative. But can you make room for the possibility that you can release your goals without being a failure? Yes, you can! Sometimes the goals themselves are unreachable, for reasons outside your control. There are times to let your goal go – or at least set it aside for a while. Here are five of those times:

Not motivated to achieve the goal.

Have you ever made plans to go to a movie with a friend or attend a party, but when it came time to get ready to go, you just couldn’t get moving? Maybe you decided you didn’t really want to see that show, or you’re having a grand old time just sitting on the couch in your sweats with your significant other. Whatever the reason, the motivation is just not there.

If you’ve tried all the suggestions in my previous posts, and you keep missing deadlines, or taking the next step, or simply not acting on your goal, it may be time to let that goal go, at least for now.

Sometimes it’s a disconnect you haven’t been able to pinpoint, or sometimes the timing’s just not right. It’s okay to just set the goal aside and move on to something more attractive. No one’s keeping score – I promise.

You don’t know what’s next.

If you are lost, unsure which direction to go in next, which path to take, or what you really want, it may be time to stop hitting that wall. Instead of feeling like you HAVE to have a goal, take some time to reflect and figure out what you’re really trying to achieve with your business or your life.

Though I’m all in favor of action, I think it’s much smarter to make sure you’re choosing the right goal and the right strategies to achieve them, rather than just acting for the sake of acting. You can’t get where you want to go until you know where it is you want to go! Simple enough.

You are exhausted.

Type-A, ultra-motivated goal-setters can burn themselves out pretty quickly. It’s hard to stay motivated if you don’t have any recovery time, instead bouncing from one huge project to the next. It won’t matter how successful you are if you don’t have the energy, or give yourself the time, to enjoy your achievements.

If you’re bordering on burnout, give yourself a break. Set all your goals aside for a while and just relax. It’ll pay off in the long run.

You don’t feel as positive about the goal any longer.

Contrary to popular belief, it is okay to change your mind. You may be halfway to a goal, or even closer, and decide it’s a bad idea or it’s just not a goal that you long for anymore. That’s okay. Really.

If you think you’ve changed your mind about a goal, take time to ask yourself “why.” Is it a higher-level objective issue? A strategy issue? Or are you just not sure? Figure out how you feel about your goal before you decide to let it go. If after you’ve explored your “why” and your feelings about your goal, you decide letting go of your goal is the right thing for you right now, release it and move on. No regrets – just lessons learned.

As a final thought on this topic, I can’t resist putting in this quote for obvious reasons:

“The only thing you live to regret are the risks you didn’t take.”

~Anonymous~

Jeannine Clontz, IVAA CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: http://www.accbizsvcs.com, or contact her at info@accbizsvsc.com

Five Reasons to Give Up On Your Goals is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Three Reasons Your Goal May “Fail”!

Jeannine Clontz — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:11:56 +0000

I put the word “fail” in quotes in the title because I strongly believe that you never REALLY fail if you’ve learned something from having tried. There’s a difference between a good goal and a good outcome – sometimes, despite your best efforts, you can’t make it work.

In my experience, there are three main reasons for this.

Your goal was bad for the outcome you wanted to achieve.

You did all the right things, but you were aiming at the wrong target. For instance, let’s say you wanted to do something to help people (your objective) so you decided to go to law school (the goal).

Unfortunately, you find you hate to study, read, or write. And you don’t like being in conflict with people! There’s an inherent mismatch between your personality and the goal you chose.

Have you “failed?” No. Your goal was wrong. You may have spent time and money that you wish you hadn’t, but think about what you learned: You are a doer, not a studier. Yes, you still want to help people, but now you know you need to look at other ways that focus more on your own personality and style.

That’s great information to know about yourself. Many people don’t find out what they really want to do with their lives until they’re in the corner suite, and miserable! Treat this setback as a valuable learning experience. Then, as the song goes, “pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.”

Your process to achieve the goal was wrong.

Sometimes you have a great goal, but you just pick the wrong path for getting there. That’s like knowing where you want to go on the other side of town, but picking the road that’s under construction, full of detours, and jammed with bumper-to-bumper traffic. There’s nothing wrong with your goal; you just picked the wrong road.

To bring this into the business world, it would be like knowing what result you want (let’s say, more sales) but choosing a strategy that doesn’t pay off (advertising at bus stops when your target customer has a chauffeur).

Sometimes you don’t know you’ve chosen the wrong path until you’re halfway down the road. You’ve invested a lot of time and money and suddenly there’s that detour sign. You then have a choice to make – do you suck it up and keep going, hoping it will get better? Or do you cut your losses, backtrack, and start over again?

As much as you hate to hear it, you’re usually better off heading back to a fresh start. If this makes you cringe, let me tell you a story.

Maxine Hong Kingston, the fabulous novelist, had almost finished a manuscript for a new book, “The Fourth Book of Peace.” It was completely destroyed in the Oakland fires of 1991. Kingston went on to write a new book, “The Fifth Book of Peace,” which included a rewritten version of the destroyed book. Now that is “rising from the ashes”… literally.

If you need to start over, glean the best of what went right before and add it to your knowledge banks. Then set the past aside and move forward!

Your execution was wrong.

The goal was right. The path was right. But, your execution? Not so much. Maybe your motivation started faltering. Maybe you started cutting corners. Or maybe you just gave up. Whatever the reason, the result was the same: Your goal remains out of reach.

If the reason for your “failure” lies at your feet, take a look at your why. Why did it drop? Did you try all the strategies we’ve already discussed? Are you still committed to this goal? Do you need additional resources? Figure out where the disconnect is, then try, try again.

“Failure” to me is just another word for “Things didn’t turn out quite like I had planned.” There are still plenty of lessons to be learned – sometimes more so than if everything had panned out just right.

Next week, we’ll look at why sometimes it may be best to just let your goal go – and for good reason.

Three Reasons Your Goal May “Fail”! is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Tags: achieving goals. achieving your goals, goal setting, goal setting tips, setting goals, tips for setting goals

12 Technology Tips to Support Your Goals (Part Two)

Jeannine Clontz — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:37:00 +0000

Last week we learned some technology tips for setting alarms, tracking time and progress, and several other support mechanisms we can achieve through technology. Our final six tips connect us with others to maintain accountability and achieve our goals more easily.

Find mentors.

Whether you need someone to take a look at your business plan or help you figure out the tax implications of hiring an employee, you can find great mentors in every field. Ask successful colleagues to suggest a few names or do a quick Google search to see available options. The thing to remember is someone has done it before – whatever it is – and is very often pleased to assist someone just starting out with the same goal.

Network.

Working on new projects can be lonely, particularly when you’re stretching yourself outside your comfort zones. Even if you’re not looking for an accountability partner right now, you can still network with others in the same industry, sharing resources and war stories. Or just vent – that’s important, too!

Get training.

One of the first places I look when I’m trying to figure something out is YouTube. There are tens of thousands of videos created for everything from the proper form for push-ups to how to install a WordPress blog. Before paying someone to help you learn something, see if you can find the information and figure out what you need to know – with a little help from a YouTube video. If not, like with a mentor, look for a referral to someone who can help you with training in the area you need.

Create an informal focus group.

Want a quick weigh-in on whether Logo #1 or Logo #2 better expresses your company’s brand? Need to know if stay-at-home moms respond to headlines the way you hope they will? Log onto Twitter or Facebook and ask away. Within minutes you’ll have tons of answers – for free! You won’t have to get stuck waiting for feedback before you can move on. Social media is a great option for getting answers and feedback to all your needs.

Blog your experiences.

Everyone loves a good success story, particularly one from an “ordinary” person. Start a blog and create an online journal of your journey towards your goal. Not only will you have the motivation of knowing your blog readers are following your efforts, you will most likely get feedback from your readers that will trigger all sorts of new ideas - you just might have an information product in the making.

Ask for support.

Every once in a while, you may need an impromptu cheerleader. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets are perfect for that very thing. Let your followers know when you just need to hear a “You can do it!” You’ll be surprised at how many people have walked in your shoes and are happy to chime in and give you a thumbs-up, at-a-boy, or at-a-girl.

By now, you’re a goal-setting expert! But even when you do everything right, there are times when things aren’t working out the way you’d planned. That’s why the next section teaches you how to handle “failure.” Come back next week for more!

12 Technology Tips to Support Your Goals (Part Two) is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Tags: achieve goals, goal setting, how to achieve goals, setting goals

Go From Idea to Income in 10-minutes a Day – Complimentary Teleseminar

Jeannine Clontz — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:30:38 +0000

How much do you suppose the ideas you have for your business would be worth to you this year if they were implemented? $5000, $10,000, a million?

What if I told you that it’s possible to start seeing some of those results in just 10 minutes a day?

Would you be interested?

If so, join my friend Rory Cohen, Idea Implementation Expert, for a free phone/web seminar on Thursday, December 16th on which you’ll hear her talk about how to do just that.

So many people I talk with have great ideas for their business, but they get overwhelmed just thinking about implementing them.

And yet they know that they could dramatically increase their income if they took action…even on just one of those ideas.

Whether you’ve been at it for a few weeks or a few years, Rory’s approach and techniques are so powerful she’ll have you in action right away.

Rory is offering this free "teleseminar" on Thursday, December 16th at your choice of two times: either 2:00 pm Eastern (11:00 am Pacific) OR 7:00 pm Eastern (4:00 pm Pacific)

Go here now to register for Thursday’s call using my affiliate code:

http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=1278593

Here’s just some of what you’ll discover:

How one client went from being in debt to having cash flow for his real estate investment business in just 2 weeks, after 8 months of failed effort.
How lack of money can actually be a good thing for your business
Why even if you don’t have to know exactly HOW to achieve your business goals you can still see outrageous results
What Rory did in a single phone coaching call to get one client from 300 blog subscribers to 20,000.
How one client built a marketing support team with one email for free.
The 7 things that may be stopping you from implementing your Big Business Ideas and what to do about them

(AND MUCH MORE!!!)

Again, to register for Thursday’s call go here now and use my affiliate code:

http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=1278593

You’ll be glad you did! Hope you can join us!

Go From Idea to Income in 10-minutes a Day – Complimentary Teleseminar is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Tags: business ideas, goal setting tips, implementation

12 Technology Tips to Support Your Goals (Part One)

Jeannine Clontz — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:57:23 +0000

Technology – everything from our computer to our cell phone – seems to have invaded every area of our modern lives. But we often do not take full advantage of the features and benefits that can really make our lives easier. Use these technology tips to help you achieve your goals:

Set alarms.

Use the alarms on your computer or cell phones to keep you on task and concentrating for specific blocks of time you’d like to set aside to work on your goals. Search for free online software programs that allow you to set alarms and timers right on your computer. Or keep it simple go get the trusty kitchen timer and get back to work!

Track your hours.

Want to know how much time you’re REALLY utilizing on activities like email, online shopping, and Farmville? Use an online service like RescueTime.com to track time on different activities. You’ll be surprised at the end of the day how much time you spend on non-productive activities when you’re not paying attention.

Aside from keeping you honest about this wasted time you can flip between two or three real projects and be able to see where your focus has been on those projects. So even time well-spent can be tracked for the purpose of staying ON track.

Join a group.

Join a forum or email list of people who are working on similar goals as you are. I’ll be starting one for my Virtual Assistant Coaching clients in a month or so, stay tuned. Do a search at Groups.Google.com or Groups.Yahoo.com to find email lists on literally every topic you can imagine Whether you’re starting a company, founding a non-profit, trying to lose weight, or writing a book, you’ll find a group that’s right for you.

Keep in mind, you don’t want these groups or forums to take your focus away from your daily tasks and goals, but the information and support of a group of like-minded individuals can be invaluable.

Track your progress.

Use Excel’s charting option to create an ongoing chart or graph of your progress. Print it out or use it as your screen-saver for extra motivation. If we maintain accurate measurements as we move along toward our goals, simply jotting down this measured progress in notebooks is fine, but why not use technology to expand your knowledge, tweaking data to give you even more information that can be helpful in the future.

Set reminders.

You can set reminder emails on your computer or calls on your cell phone. When the email or call comes in, you know it’s time to break away for a planning session, or perform the next step on your list. Don’t try to keep your schedule in your brain. Let technology do it for you and free up your brain for the real work… achieving your goals!

Brainstorm.

Mind mapping software like FreeMind, MindGenius, MindManager, VisualMind, and VUE allow you to brainstorm and capture your ideas in a visual format. Mind mapping is a great way to figure out steps towards a goal, determine priorities, and even write blog posts, books, and more. There are plenty of brain-flexing capabilities programmed into this software, so have fun with it. Explore your thoughts right there on your computer screen.

Check back next week for our final six tips!

12 Technology Tips to Support Your Goals (Part One) is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Tags: goal setting tips, Goals, set goals, setting goals, technology tips, technology tips to support goals

5 Tried-and-True Methods to Stay Focused on Your Goals. (Part Two)

Jeannine Clontz — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:48:14 +0000

Last week we looked at committing to our goals, slowing down the pace, and not expecting an immediate pay off. This week, our final two methods to stay focused will help us finish what we started, and encourages us to reward our successes.

Set aside some time each day.

If you tend to be a “starter” rather than a “finisher,” you may need more structure to your time. One technique for staying the course is to set aside a specific block of time each day to focus on your goals - AND ONLY your goals. That means no checking email, no combing the dog, and no phone calls.

Time set aside for your goals could be as little as fifteen minutes or as long as an hour. What matters is making this time a habit; this is the time you “punch in” each and every day to work on your long-term projects. This discipline will move you forward, bit by bit, if you are consistent.

Reward yourself for focus, not just for accomplishments.

While it’s great to have rewards in place for when you achieve your goals, it’s important for those of us who tend to lose focus to reward ourselves for the effort and focus, not just accomplishing our goals.

Rewards for focusing on our goals could be as simple as allowing yourself to check email, or, going for coffee with a friend.

It really works! I know because I use this technique all the time. In fact, I’m going to go relax and watch “The Office” right after I finish this section. Good job, me!

Next week we’ll look at how you can use technology to help achieve your goals.

5 Tried-and-True Methods to Stay Focused on Your Goals. (Part Two) is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Tags: goal setting, goal setting tips, Goals, setting goals, stay focused on goals

Goals: 5 Tried and True Methods to Stay Focused (Part One)

Jeannine Clontz — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:04:48 +0000

Got your goals set and your motivation and systems in place? Great! Now let’s look at five ways to stay focused on keeping focused, especially on long-term goals.

Focus is a problem even for the most experienced goal-setter. In fact, getting distracted is one of the biggest problems in goal achievement. Try these five methods to keep focused and your eye on the prize:

Commit.

This may sound a bit silly since you’ve already been through the goal-setting stage. Shouldn’t that mean you’re already committed? But, some people who are really good at setting goals and getting started, forget that they actually have to show up until the goal is reached. That’s why I recommend having you think through your “why” and restate your commitment to doing what it takes to “get ‘er done.”

Think of standing at the altar with your beloved and going through the marriage ceremony, including the “’til death do us part” section. You may be in love with that person and want to create a fabulous future together, but until you make that official commitment, your dedication may be temporary. Commit to your goal the way you’d commit to a partner.

Slow down.

If you’re a natural go-getter, doing a lot of “stuff” but you may not necessarily be doing the RIGHT stuff. As a result, you waste energy on tasks that aren’t directly contributing to your ultimate goal, and start new “projects” in the process.

Often I am approached by new entrepreneurs who excitedly rattle off a list of ten new projects and ask me if they are good ideas. The answer is “yes” ten times; “but now pick one and stick to it until it’s done.”

In other words – Slow Down! Before you take on any additional projects consider how it’s going to affect your ability to devote needed resources towards your current goals. Before you start anything else, would you be better off sticking with the pile of goals that are already partly completed? Take a deep breath and try to be a little more Zen. Your slow and steady pace will pay off when you save yourself from burn-out.

Don’t expect immediate payoff.

As I mentioned above, some of you may be blessed with “entrepreneurial ADD.” You try something, it works for a little bit, and then it gets kind of boring, or the original results start to diminish. That’s when you switch and try something else. You repeat the process until you have a shelf full of diet books or a computer hard drive full of half-finished projects. Stop!

Success comes not from the first five sit-ups you do in your workout today, but from the last five sit-ups you squeak out at the end of your workout. You know, the ones you do when you think you’re too tired to do any more.

Likewise, success comes from the last five emails you force yourself to send, or the last five cold calls you make after everyone else has gone home for the day. Aim to push yourself to the edge – and then go a little further. Results take time.

Goals: 5 Tried and True Methods to Stay Focused (Part One) is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Tags: goal setting, setting goals, stay focused on goals, tips for setting goals, tips on setting goals

Five Strategies to Achieve Your Goals (Part Two)

Jeannine Clontz — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 23:55:48 +0000

Last week we talked about getting a friend to keep us accountable; making sure we stay positive about achieving our goal, and to make it public to keep us on track.

We close out this week with our final two strategies to realize our goals.

Chart your goal’s progress.

I’ve already shared with you the importance of measuring your progress. A great motivation is to create a visual graphic to represent your progress towards your goal. Think of those thermometers that elementary schools place outside on a busy road, measuring how close they are to achieving their fund-raising goal for the new community pool or library. A similar, physical chart that you can update with progress will do wonders to keep your attention focused.

When you’re doing this step, think outside the box. If you’re trying to spend more time at the gym, why not post a map of the US on your wall, and draw an inch from one coast to the other for each hour you spend on the treadmill? If you’re increasing your income, place a penny in a jar on your desk for each $10 or $100 you earn. These visual reminders are fun ways to keep your goals in the forefront of your mind.

Get expert advice.

We often think we need to do everything on our own. Nothing could be further from the truth! Alcoholics Anonymous has sponsors, Michael Phelps has a coach, and Jack Welch had an advisory board. No one has to be alone in their goal-setting efforts. Trying to eat healthier? Nutritionists will help you fine-tune your diet. Working out to get fit? Trainers will help you find the most effective exercises to achieve your physical goals.

There are business mentors and coaches who can help you figure out social media, launch a new information product, or streamline your finances. You can also find tons of books, videos, and websites to help you reach your goal, no matter what your goal happens to be. Don’t go it alone. Someone else has already invented that wheel and is ready to help you use it!

Now that your motivation is revved up, share some of your goal setting successes, or challenges by leaving a comment below.

Next week we take a look at how to rein in that energy to keep you focused and on task.

Five Strategies to Achieve Your Goals (Part Two) is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Tags: goal setting, goal setting tips, how to achieve goals, setting goals

Five Strategies to Achieve Your Goals (Part One)

Jeannine Clontz — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 12:21:54 +0000

Even when you’ve set a “good” goal – one that adheres to your higher objective and is specific and measurable – you can run into some issues along the way… namely, staying motivated. Without motivation, even the most ambitious person will get sidetracked. Here are the strategies that I feel will keep you on track to achieving your goals:

Get an accountability friend.

Life can be lonely when you are making changes to your behavior. Your family, and work colleagues may not support “the new you.” For instance, if you’re trying to start a new business, your spouse may not “get” it and may question the time that you devote towards your goal. Having a friend or accountability partner to constantly check in with and rely on for support can be invaluable.

The best partners are those who are undertaking the same process, or have walked the same trail before. Find someone who will help you identify obstacles, provide advice, and cheer you on through the process of achieving your goal. Support is vital to your goal’s success.

Focus on successfully achieving your goal.

Getting waylaid by negative thoughts or “what if” scenarios can spell disaster to your goals. When you start out by finding a hundred ways why your plans won’t work, your energy is getting diverted to dealing with failure that hasn’t even happened!

Instead of funneling your time and resources into negative thoughts and processes, make the decision that you’re not going to entertain any ideas of failure. If it happens, it happens. You don’t have to spend your precious resources worrying about it now.

Donald Trump is famous for his positive attitude. Even when he was in debt to the tune of billions (yes, BILLIONS!) of dollars, he rallied his team with pictures of the deals they would make in the future. His energy was contagious, and he was able to pull himself and his company out of bankruptcy by focusing on forthcoming success.

Make it public.

You know why shows like “Biggest Loser” work? Because no one wants to admit they wimped out on their diet or skipped their 6 AM gym appointment in front of millions of viewers! The “Biggest Loser” contestants have the ultimate motivation – a camera in their face 24/7.

While you may not want to keep a camera on you ’round the clock, you will want to make your goal public. Tell your friends, family, colleagues, and even the internet on forums, websites, or your blog. It works!

Next week we’ll discuss our final two strategies – charting our goal’s progress, and getting expert advice.

Now that your motivation is revved up, share some of your goal setting successes, or challenges by leaving a comment below.

Five Strategies to Achieve Your Goals (Part One) is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Tags: achieve goals, achieve your goals, goal setting tips, set goals

When to Adapt and Change Your Goals.

Jeannine Clontz — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 21:06:22 +0000

Have you ever felt like you were doing all the right things, but not getting anywhere? If you truly are putting in the effort to set your goals as we’ve been discussing thus far, it may be a matter of choosing goals that just aren’t right for you. This may lead us to consider changing your goals.

The situation has changed.

Let’s say your goal is to sell 1000 copies of a new information product called, “Tips and Tricks for Microsoft Office 2010”. The day after you start writing, Microsoft releases a new version MSOffice 2012. Suddenly, the scenario has changed. Users aren’t looking for tips for MSOffice 2007 anymore. Customers are in line purchasing the 2012 version. Your market just evaporated overnight. You could write and release the best book under the sun and no one would buy it because it’s obsolete.

If the business environment has changed, then your goals may have to change, too.

Your priorities have changed.

Maybe you’re making great progress towards your goals, but you suddenly realize what you thought was really important, such as losing weight, is less important than helping your child improve his math skills, or spending more hours to get your new business off the ground.

If your priorities have changed, it’s time to reassess your goals.

Your higher-level objective has changed.

You thought you wanted to make more money so you could save for retirement, but your son just got invited to attend an elite soccer clinic this summer, with an elite price tag. Suddenly, you need that extra cash NOW.

You may have to adjust your goals to coordinate with new objectives.

Your goal wasn’t the right one to begin with.

As we discussed previously, you can make great progress towards your goal if you follow the right strategies… but towards the wrong goal! When setting goals, ensure that the higher-level objective and the goal itself fit with your desires, ethics, and personal style.

If your goal is a mismatch you may have to revisit the goal setting process previously outlined and be certain the goal is right for you.

Your resources have changed.

When we select a goal and how we’ll get there, we make certain assumptions. We typically assume we’ll have a certain amount of time, energy, and money to dedicate to completing of the goal. If you are working to expand into a new market, and you suddenly get word that your main product or service faces challenges from a competitor’s marketing efforts, you may have to take resources from the new goal to shore up the marketing for your main product line. You will need to adjust your new marketing goal in order to reallocate resources to your main business.

If your anticipated resources must be redirected or become depleted, you may have to change your goal as well.

Under all these circumstances, you may need to take another look at your goals to make sure they still fit your overall objectives, resources, and priorities. But most of the time, when you plan carefully for your new goal, you’ll be able to carry on toward completion. Next we’ll look at some surefire methods for achieving those goals.

When to Adapt and Change Your Goals. is a post from: Virtual Assistance Business Briefs

Tags: business goals, change goals, goal setting, goal setting mistakes, goal setting tips