At the top of the new year, it’s always good to reflect on how far you’ve come in the past 12 months and think about what you want to achieve in the year ahead. I’ve already done this on my personal blog here, so what about my business?
One of my previous posts looked at my first year in business and what this involved, so my musings on that are done and I’m now focused firmly ahead. In a few weeks, Entrepreneurial Spark will begin in Belfast – a programme designed to help entrepreneurs accelerate their businesses – so I’m excited to find out how that will unfold, as I’m one of the businesses taking part in this. It’s easy to work from day to day without anyone monitoring your progress as a sole trader/self-employed person, so having a mentor to check in with on a regular basis is sure to be a good way of staying motivated and retaining that focus. I wonder who mine will be…?
As for my 2016 goals? Well, I think it’s best not to swamp yourself with too many, as that will only make you feel as if you’re constantly under-achieving and will only put the pressure on. My goals will no doubt change over the year, but to begin with, I’m keeping them few and I’m keeping them general, so you maybe surprised to see what they are…
1. Maintain a positive attitude.
2. Make time for proper holidays and breaks.
3. Be more selective with business networking events (you can’t and shouldn’t be expected to attend everything!)
4. Only take on projects you’re happy to do (i.e. realise you don’t have to do everything that comes your way, as time is limited!)
5. Eat well and get out of the office often (dog walking for me is certainly part of this!)
I fully believe that if you get the basics right – if you’re rested, are as stress-free as possible and are happy with the work you’re doing – then you’ll be much better able to grow your business. Being an entrepreneur requires a lot of energy and commitment, so pacing yourself and knowing your limits is key. Of course, we all like to push those limits, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but the secret is knowing when to ramp things up and when to ease off on that accelerator.
So – have you set yourself any goals for the year ahead and if so, what are they..?