Article Contributed by Dr. Joey Faucette
When NASA took on the challenge of putting a person on the moon, they started by setting goals. Instead of starting with “now” and working forward, they started with “then”—the day they wanted to land on the moon, July 20, 1969, when the earth and moon were closest. They planned backwards from that date, i.e., “Where do we need to be on July 19, July 18,” and so on. They set goals backwards, knowing when they wanted Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon, and what it would take each week to get him there.
How can you use NASA’s planning process to set 2016 goals for your business?
Here are three ways you can shoot for the moon with your business in 2016.
Total focus
I’m sure you’ve played the game where someone mentions an object—a dancing bear wearing a red vest with a black top hat—and tells you not to think about it. Of course, what’s the first thing that flashes in your mind? Your mind focuses your thoughts very quickly and with just a little suggestion.
So why is it such a challenge for most of us to focus our thoughts about our businesses on our chosen, positive subjects such as 2016 goals? Because your mind focuses your thoughts very quickly and with just a little suggestion. Unless you discipline your mind, that is coach it to filter out some thoughts and focus on others, it will hone in on whatever attention grabber presents itself. Your mind is like a muscle. You exercise it to strengthen it to do what you want it to do.
NASA had one goal—put a person on the moon.
What’s your one, big, shoot-for-the-moon goal?
Time frame
A lot of us set our business goals forward, like, “I want to increase sales by 16%,” without knowing by when. We try to sell 16% more, realize we can’t do it all at once, and give up.
Set a realistic goal—like selling 16% more in 2016 —and a target date, like December 30th. Then, target date intermediate goals like 8% by June 30th , and so forth.
This coupling of a time frame with your shoot-for-the-moon goal allows you to measure your progress along the way which makes evaluation and its incumbent course-correction easier.
When will you accomplish your shoot-for-the-moon goal in 2016?
Task Follow-Through
Everybody’s business is nobody’s business which means nobody does business unless personal responsibility is claimed for insuring it gets done. Couple your big goal with a time frame. Then examine what successful tasks contribute to its accomplishment. Each task has a responsible person—“Who will get this done in this time frame?”
NASA had various engineers charged with a plethora of tasks. Yet each contributed to the shoot-for-the-moon goal on a specified time frame.
Who does what in your business to accomplish your shoot-for-the-moon goal and by when in 2016?
Shoot for the moon with your business goals in 2016 and follow NASA’s lead in getting the job done.
Go ahead and make one small step for yourself…and one giant leap for your business!
About the Author
Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), Work Positive coach, & speaker who helps business professionals increase sales with greater productivity so they get out of the office earlier to do what they love with those they love. Discover more at www.GetPositive.Today.