Setting effective business goals requires forethought, experience, and effort. Goals are larger accomplishments, while objectives are sub-goals that goals rely on to achieve success. Without clear goals and objectives, a business risks drifting without direction. Developing goals can seem intimidating but is made easier through brainstorming potential goals like revenue, customer counts, or skills. Objectives should then be written to outline the specific tasks needed to accomplish each goal. Both goals and objectives provide focus but require flexibility to adapt to changing situations.

1. Joby Harte

2.  Coming up with effective business goals is
never an easy thing. You could even say that
it is intimidating to some people. Knowing
where to take your project or business down
the road requires a lot of forethought and
experience, not to mention a lot of effort.

3.  Most people think that business goals and
objectives are interchangeable words. The
truth is that goals are the larger
accomplishments while objectives are simply
sub-goals in the grand scheme of things.
Objectives are the legs that goals use to
stand on. Without good measurable
objectives, a goal will never make it very far.

4.  Your goals and objectives are important in
achieving overall success. Without these
things in mind you would be like a boat adrift
without a sail or rudder. Imagine that a year
or two goes by, and you are still in the same
position you were in when you started.
Wouldn't that be terrible? That is why having
a clear focus of your business or project is so
important.

5.  As intimidating as it seems, there are some
easy ways to set your goals. First, don't be
afraid to brainstorm. In a sense, goals are
somewhat simple. Perhaps there is a certain
amount of money you want to make, or a
certain number of customers to acquire. It
could be that you have an educational goal.

6.  Make sure to write these down with plenty of
room under them to write in your objectives.
In writing your objectives, think about the
things you will need to do in order to
accomplish that specific goal. What skills or
tasks would be required? Write them down,
but always keep in mind that objectives can
also provide their own challenges.

7.  Once you have all of your goals and
objectives written down, start to apply them
on a daily basis, but remember to stay
flexible. There may be situations that require
you to modify your plans, but that shouldn't
deter you from your overall focus.