LESSON #14: Setting Goals for Your Business

By | July 18, 2008

In the previous lesson, we talked about getting a vision for your business.

A vision is the big picture of where you want to go. You need to have a vision, otherwise you won’t be motivated, and you won’t have a clear direction for your business.

However, a vision needs goals and plans to go along with it…

(Watch this video…)

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Main points:

  • Vision vs. Goals. A vision is the big picture of where you want to go; a goal is a specific milestone that helps you get closer to your vision.

  • Important requirements for goals:

    1) they should be specific (measurable)
    2) they should be serious, but attainable
    3) they should have a deadline

  • For example: a goal may be to earn $10,000 of net profit before December 31st.

  • VERY IMPORTANT: Write your goals down, and keep them in sight.

  • (Story about the Harvard MBA graduates…) Those with written goals made 10X the income of everyone else combined.

  • I use a whiteboard… but a piece of paper is fine too.

  • You can have short term goals, long term goals, and everything in between.

  • Re-evaluate your goals periodically.

  • When you reach a goal, be sure to celebrate for a few minutes before setting the next goal.

    Action steps:

    1) Write down one goal, and put it somewhere near your computer.

    (Also please post it in the comments below)

    It should be specific, attainable, and it should have a deadline.

    Keep in mind that you will need to keep setting new goals for yourself as you build your business. As you continue with these lessons, it will become more apparent what your goals should be, so write them down frequently as you go through the process.

    Now you will need to develop a plan for reaching your goals, and I’ll be talking about that in the next lesson.

    As always, you are welcome to post your questions and comments below.

    Have a great day!

  • 878 thoughts on “LESSON #14: Setting Goals for Your Business

    1. Paul ( Ireland)

      Eric,
      I agree with Carols post, it was a bit like being in a restaurant looking at the starter menu and been forced to buy the dessert before sitting down on the seat.

      I only purchased the offer to give some very small help to those poor people affected Oklahoma, (As I am from outside the USA and so far away from Oklahoma it looked like an easy way to do something to help!).
      You stated in your early lessons to stop buying the next shiny object that comes along. But I am starting to see lots of shiny objects peppered within the lessons external notes / to do list so far which is staring to be a little off putting as it is beginning to look like a very clever way to up sell products.

      On my 1st goal is
      I will fine or design and sell the first online product / service before the 1st September 2013 either to an online or off line customer.
      Even it’s only for a very small value to prove to myself it can be done and that I can achieve it
      P.S
      I do fine your lessons very helpful and interesting but take the away the hidden temptation of the next must have offer! Please
      Kind regards
      Paul

      Reply
    2. Maria Smith

      My 1st goal is to get 10 of these PLR ebooks/videos produced and marketed in 30 days. Still having trouble with the Real Guys PLR setup. But am going over the training. New to websites, aweber, squeeze pages etc.

      Reply
    3. Carmen Knight

      My goal is to be caught up on my bills by the end of the year and have a substantial savings that will allow me to keep the bills that I cannot pay in full current. My long term goal is to be debt free in 5 years. Getting the full understanding of this business will allow me to accomplish my goal.
      Thank you for timely manner in which you do this training.

      Reply
    4. Glen Sargent

      Send an additional batch of books into Amazon FBA – by 6/5 – and line up more items (books or otherwise) for similar destination – by 6/12.

      Reply
    5. Doralyn Bigelow

      Goal: $5000 per month by December 2013. thank you for your tips. 🙂

      Reply
    6. Samuel

      My goal is to finish all of Eric’s Tips by October 31, 2013. Eric is this an attainable goal?
      I also plan to have all of the highly recommended startup items from lesson #8 by August 31, 2013.

      Reply
    7. Diane

      Hi Eric and everyone else!
      I want to finish your lessons and work on learning the ins and outs of WP. Learn about my strengths and find my niche!!!

      Reply
    8. Heather

      My goal is to make $10,000 by July 31, 2013 have it in my bank account.

      Reply
    9. Ron Vaive

      My first goal is to make a $1000 by the middle of July.

      Reply
    10. Aline

      Hi Eric,

      Thanks a lot for the lessons!

      My goal is to actually start my online business. It will consist of a neat website with at least two products to sell. I may sell products of other people as well.
      deadline: june 30th 2013.

      Thanks a lot for the lessons!

      Kind regards,
      Aline

      Reply
    11. Don Sell

      My goal is to have my 1st Website up and working by 7/15/13

      Reply
    12. Brian B.

      My first goal is to earn my first $1000.00 by August 1st 2013.

      Reply
    13. LaDorris Saverson

      Hi Eric:
      My goal is to be making $1500 by December 31, 2013.

      Reply
    14. Jocelyne

      Thanks Eric for this helpful lesson

      My goal is to reach €1000/month by end of sptember 2013. kind regards!

      Reply
    15. Frank

      Hi Eric,
      My 1st goal is to make $5000/mo with internet marketing by the end of 2013. I want to know how real this is. Briefly, I am a part-time self-employed computer consultant. I am also a full-time executive at my church and responsible for promotion/marketing, fund raising and HR. So I am very trained in these areas. I love doing both but my purpose is much more with my church. I want to move away from the time/income direct ratio self-employed rut. So I want to create an online business on computer programming very similar to what you’re doing with internet marketing. I could dedicate about 5-10hrs/week on this task. Is this $5000/mo by end of year a real goal given my background and available time?
      Many thanks,
      Frank
      P.S. – Love your lessons and I see you are a very real, down-to-earth and caring person. 🙂

      Reply
    16. Don Karp

      Hi Eric,

      I am at Lesson #14 in Eric’s Tips. Earlier he said not to buy anything, but I keep getting emails to buy fire sales that are very intriguing, to say the least. Here is what Eric says about the current one:
      “As a avid PLR buyer, of course I checked it out right away. I have not yet looked at all 457 products, but I downloaded 6 of them so far to check the quality, and I like what I’ve seen so far.”
      What is the “quality” Eric mentions? Technical quality, big name presenters? 6 out of 457 is a very small number. There are lots of self-improvement gurus and materials out there, but are we talking Depak Chopra, or some lesser known. Why does he not show me some ad copy and page design?
      Without more information,how am I to make a knowledgeable purchase? And anyways, I am still going by Eric’s advice to buy nothing. But still I am concerned about the lack of his finesse in displaying why this offer is so good.

      Reply
    17. Micah

      Hello Don,

      You should never purchase anything if is just going to sit on your computer collecting virtual dust.
      However, at some point, you will need tools to help grow your business.
      We only recommend that you make purchases when you plan to actually use a tool for your business right away!

      Reply
    18. Karen G

      Hello Eric

      My goal is to have one of my online campaigns running and make my first $500 by the end of July 2013. The date today is June 28 2013

      Reply
    19. Julie Pyle

      My goal is to continue to work through this process consistently so that I can pay off credit card debt of $10,000 by year-end 2013.

      Reply
    20. Michael

      My fist goal will be to secure inexpensive website hosting, by the end of the first week of July, and installing WordPress so that I can build my website.

      Reply
    21. Mary Rogers

      Eric,
      Thank you for making it crystal clear the necessary importance of having a clear vision with measureable and attainable goals to best be able to successfully move forward with my online/internet business.

      Reply
    22. Anonymous

      my goal Is $25.000 met profit til Decembar 31st this year,

      Reply
    23. Mirko

      my goal Is $25.000 met profit til Decembar 31st this year,

      Reply
    24. Steve Smith

      As I am retired with two retirements My Vision is to be able to live better financially as a family while also helping others to better their lives. My Goals are to pay off my current home within two years, to create an additional $50,000 by June 2014, and create an additional $150,000 by December 2014 thru residual income to place in trusts for my wife and all my grandchildren.

      Reply
    25. Tom

      Great content. Thanks, Eric!

      One small comment… I absolutely agree that writing down goals is a very important step. But there is no need to refer to the Harvard Study. While this is a nice and inspiring story… it is nothing more than a popular urban legend. For some years it is known that no such study was ever performed (http://www.the5q.com/blog/the-myth-of-the-harvard-goal-setting-study)…

      … but anyway. Writing goals is fine…

      Tom

      Reply
    26. Ava Ferguson

      Hi Eric,
      My one goal is to make this business mine and become successful in it. I will have to make it step by step. First step is to finish the course in two weeks (date 07/18/2013)
      Learn the business and slowly increase my earnings. My goal is to earn $100,000.00 by the 31st of December 2013. and celebrate New Years Eve with my husband.

      Reply
    27. Ginny-Lynn Leimbock

      Hi Eric!
      I am a 67 year old senior, and my goal is to learn how to use this computer by the end of October, 2013. Also to earn $300.00 a week by the end of December, 2013. For Ron who lost his 20 year old daughter in an accident, I am an expert in praying and I will send prayers out to you and your family.

      Reply
    28. Linda M

      My first goal is to get through all your videos and understand the what to do within the next 30 days. 🙂

      Reply
    29. Randy

      Bought the “info cash” system on 07/02-it’s now 07/08 and I plan to really study and learn the system by 07/11

      Reply
    30. Terry

      My goal is to master a cost effective traffic technic within 2 months, then to earn $2000 a month in 6 months from today date 14/07/13.

      Reply
    31. Caroline Sabourin

      hello again,

      It is the 15th of July 2013. My goal is to be debt free by 15th July 2014. (That’s about $15k) and to have a $5k cushion in my savings account.

      Reply
    32. Gilberto

      I just participated in a huddle yesterday with some of my associates and I set a goal to place ads in 10 different cities on Craigs List. Marketing on a budget can work, but only if we take action and get out there and do it. I was slacking off on this one. I am pumping it up. Thanks Eric.

      Reply
    33. Frances

      Eric,
      First of all, my husband, Craig and I are working together as a team. We are there to support each other.
      We sat down on Saturday and wrote our business plan and set a vision. Today, we talked about our goals and “milestones”. Our first goal is as follows.
      We have a business plan of, as a family, being self sufficient, out-of-debt (completely), and plan ahead for our retirement. Our first goal is to make $10,000.00 by November 1st of this year. We are brand new to the internet marketing and haven’t really started yet. But, we are in the process of choosing a product to promote from the Hot Niche Firesale. Great product! We have made arrangements to set up our website and already have a domain name. We have even set up our accounts and accountant. Now, it is time to get moving! Thank you for the tips and guidance.
      Frances & Craig

      Reply
    34. Jeff

      My first goal is to have a website created by September 15, 2013.
      To duplicate my first goal and add additional websites until I make my goal to make $1000 per month by December 15, 2013.

      Reply
    35. rich

      my goal is to find a niche, create a IM product, build a squeeze page, build a website, learn how to drive traffic to the site, earn 3k a week, by Dec 31, 2013.

      Reply
    36. alfred

      Yes I need to make $20,000 by March,2014. I could be credit card debt free. Waiting for the guidance to achieve the goal from Eric and team.

      Reply
    37. Lucy

      My goal is to launch my website and start earning money by the end of August, 2013.

      Reply
    38. Johann

      My goal is to earn $ 1000 per month by 31 December 2013, increasing all the time. My long term goal is to retire on 31 December 2015, financially independent, but fully dependent on my Creator from this day on! Let His will be done! Amen.

      Reply
    39. David Vick

      My first goal is to: Monitize my existing website by the end of August 2013.
      My second Goal is to: Build another online business by the end of September 2013.

      Reply
    40. Jorge

      Eric my goal is to learn and understand the different marketing methods you are teaching me by 31 of August 2013 and achieved my first comicion of 100 us. From there go to increase my knowledge and achieve a monthly increase of 100 us, so at the end of December 31 of 2013 have generated 400 us only in that month. Also to find the strengths and weaknesses and have a better vision on the goals to achieve for 2014. To Ron and family wish with all my heart to find inner peace prompt resignation and the loss of his beloved daughter. My prayers are with you.

      Reply
    41. TimW

      My goal is to make 2500.00 by august 10,2013
      be debt free by dec.2013
      Leave public employment by may 2014

      Reply
    42. Bill

      My goal is to generate 150,000.00 per month every month, with all the pieces of my monetized web sites in place by the end of August 31,2013.

      Reply

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