What’s the plan for 2019? Susan Jackson Cousin

So, the New Year is almost here and this is a natural time for reflection and planning. Let’s look at both of these areas for a few minutes.

Reflections

How was 2018 for you and your business? Did you achieve what you wanted? Hopefully the answer to this is yes. If so, great and what next? If not, why? Looking back can be very beneficial but it is important that you do so for the right reasons. There really are only two good reasons to look back, (1) learn the lessons of the past and (2) celebrate your successes.

Are you not sure if you have achieved what you wanted? Does that mean that you did not know what you wanted/what your goals were? Knowing your goals is so important - it creates focus. It is a bit like knowing your destination when you sit in the car. Putting your destination in the sat nav means you are always heading in the right direction. Maybe you know your destination and route but does that mean that you are on auto-pilot and not thinking about other options and observing as you go along?

So consider how 2018 was for you? Think about your successes and what led to them and think about what caused you to not achieve what you wanted. Think about what you did and create two lists: the things you will continue to do and the things you should stop doing.

Planning:

Turning to 2019, what are your goals for the coming year? What are the things you would like to say you have achieved this time next year? What will your business look like? What will your life be like? What skills and behaviours will you have developed?

Once you have your goals, what are the steps you need to take to get there? Is there an order in which these need to be done? An ideal timeframe? How will you monitor your progress? Planning helps you clarify all these things. It creates a path, a timeframe, a checkpoint for yourself. It creates momentum and helps keep you on track and focused on your ultimate goals.

Use your reflections from last year to help you know what to keep doing, what to stop doing and identify what you will start doing.

Planning helps at every level. Planning the year at a high level gives you pace and logic. Planning your first quarter gives you short term focus and milestones. Planning your week gives you structure and planning your day brings efficiency.

A few tips:

· Use your diary well – put in the key activities and dates – that way you will have carved out the time and you are less likely to forget things.

· Do to-do lists – for your week and your day and do them in advance. That way you will start your Monday knowing your objectives for the week and start each day with activities rather than wasting time wondering what to do.

· Ask yourself on a regular basis: “How is what I am doing right now helping me achieve my main objective?”

Remember

A goal without a plan is just a wish and a plan without action is a dream.

Take action today to start to create what you want tomorrow and beyond.

If you do not know where to start or what the end goals is, take action now by giving me a call (Susan Jackson Cousin - 07764 586609 – Business Coaching “shaping a brighter future for Business Owners”). Set yourself up for a great 2019 and wishing you a successful year ahead.