Saying goodbye to the old year and saying hello to the new one is a time-honored tradition. Never has the tradition been celebrated with more zeal than this year, as we kiss 2020 goodbye. I don’t know anyone who wants to repeat the last ten months. People, especially business owners, are looking forward to 2021 with its promise for reaping financial benefits from their hard work, instead of working hard and barely keeping afloat.
Saying a firm goodbye to 2020 and a hearty hello to 2021is an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments and challenges from 2020, and to plan for goals and achievements in 2021. We don’t know what next year will bring. Conditions will change and we will adapt, but we need to plan no matter what. You know what they say…A goal without a plan is just a dream.
Making a new plan starts with identifying an overarching change or improvement you want by the end of 2021. Need a new worker or system? Want to offer a new service or product? Follow these three tips to establish a plan and achieve your goals in 2021:
- Gather the Numbers – Quantify your goals as much as possible. This task will require some research and could require making estimates and assumptions. For example, how much time and money would a new worker or system cost? How much of that cost would be one-time and how much would be ongoing? The more numbers you can nail down, the better.
- Be Realistic – Know your market conditions and your resource capacity when setting your goals. It’s important to be realistic to help ensure that your plan is achievable. Setting unrealistic objectives is discouraging and could result in spending time and money on activities that are unlikely to succeed. Better to use those resources on realistic, achievable goals.
- Adjust As Needed – No matter how well you research the numbers and focus on what’s realistic, the market conditions and other factors used to set goals and make plans will change. Periodically assess your plan and progress on meeting your goals. Are you on track? Why or why not? Based on the answers, adapt your plans and goals accordingly.
Saying goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021is an opportunity to close the door on a year we don’t want to repeat and plan for renewal. It’s the perfect time to savor your achievements and to plan for a much better new year. Don’t let your goals turn into dreams that you never achieved. Establish a plan for 2021 and turn those dreams into your reality.