Don’t Break the Bank Before Reaching Your Goals

woman holding piggybankBy  Jeannine Clontz –

Looking through magazines for gift ideas I stumbled upon something I hadn’t seen in years, a glass piggybank. I recall receiving one when I opened my first savings account as a child. It forced me to continue to save because I didn’t want to ‘break’ it until it was completely full, or I had enough to purchase something I really wanted. My eyes were always on the prize.

By the ‘80’s, piggybanks had changed; they had stoppers in the bottom to remove money whenever you wanted. By not having to keep adding to your savings until you’d reached your goal, many times they were never met. The piggybank became a place to gather loose change but it took away the demand that you reach a goal or lose it all, by having to ‘break the bank.’

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I think about my business goals in somewhat the same way. I have to find ways of making myself accountable to reaching my goals. Last year, I set up several reminders to check on my 2010 goals. When I got the first reminder, I realized, – YIKES, now where did I put those goals?  I was not contributing to them as I would have liked, and I certainly wasn’t keeping track of my progress.

Goals should be specific, measurable, require some action be taken, realistic and have a deadline. I usually set monthly, quarterly and yearly goals that all tie together to help me keep my business on track and moving forward.

Sometimes the hardest part for me is making them realistic and attainable. It’s difficult when you’re the boss, isn’t it? We have to wear all the hats, and in many cases, even do all the work. So how can we make ourselves accountable for the goals we need to keep our businesses afloat in these challenging times?

Many of us struggle with this, so I found someone who is willing to help me stay focused on achieving my 2011 goals. And I’m doing the same for her! We check in with each other at least once a month to find out how things are going, congratulate each other for those goals we met, and talk about how to rework those we didn’t.

Now do not beat yourself up if you don’t achieve a goal. They are always evolving to meet the demands of whatever’s going on in your industry, or marketplace, to help your business stay strong.

Be sure to set some attainable goals for where you’d like to see yourself in 2011 or 2012. Find someone you trust who will help you stay on track and make you accountable for the goals you’ve set.

Re-invent yourself and keep making deposits in your unbreakable piggybank of growth. Stay positive and watch what happens.
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.internetmarketingvirtualassistant.net/ or contact her at info@internetmarketingvirtualassistant.net.

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Don’t Break the Bank Before Reaching Your Goals
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