That's what we look at this month at the Australian Businesswomen's Network and in this issue of the Women in Business e-Newsletter.

We asked some of our community: What is your most effective goal achievement strategy?

Their answers are below. I've left their responses raw and unedited. And beneath the posts you'll see my suggestions on what else you can do to set and achieve your business goals.

We'd love to know your answers. Post them here on the herBusiness Blog.

What is your most effective goal achievement strategy?

In business you live or die by your goals. It is just imperative that you have them especially short term, as you need to break your ultimate goals into bite size chunks to keep you enthused. Very important! When you achieve a goal reward yourself, even if it is only a 'happy dance'.

Anne Bain
Experience Seekers Travel Club
www.experienceseekerstravelclub.com

What I have found best to work for me is to ensure the Goal is a SMART goal... the goal must be specific, measureable, attainable (with stretch) results oriented and within a time frame.... the key for me is to write it down and share with a mentor, coach, friend, anyone who will help me stay accountable to the goal... the key for me is the result part of my goal... if I achieve this goal what is in it for me (WIFM)... we are for better or for worse reward-based folk.

The second part is the time frame... if it is too short then I either will miss the goal or it will be so easy to make that the results realised are not great enough to warrant my accountability to the goal. So, time and results provide the key factors in goal setting for me along with outside accountability. Imagine getting a call from your mentor and he or she simply asking "how did you do on such and such, did you enjoy your result?" and you were not able to say "yes I made my goal and the reward was great!" So, in a nutshell, goals must be SMART, written down and communicated to someone who will help you remain accountable to the goal. This works for business and personal goals.

Kevin Hannes
Action Coach DFW www.actioncoach.com/kevinhannes

Recently I asked someone what her goals were for 2009, as general chit-chat. To which she replied that she didn't have any, didn't like to make any because she didn't like to be disappointed...so why bother (was the conclusion). I was shocked because in my business its fundamental to everything we teach people. It really got me thinking though! Firstly because I had assumed that everyone at some level did some sort of goal focusing (formally or informally). What I've since discovered with a little informal research gathering is that most people don't set goals and that's because they don't want to be disappointed or fail. It's like the mentality of: "If I don't try then I can't fail".

On the other hand, all of the successful people I know have a plan of some description that allows them to focus on the task at hand, because they know where they are ultimately going. I spend 2-3 days at the beginning of every year reviewing my 10 year vision and re-aligning/amending or adding to this document. This allows me to get on with the day-to-day operations without worrying if I am still heading in the right direction. This has been a really useful process...and I often find that I need to expand the 10 year vision because suddenly, through focus, it has become too small!!

Janine Barr
Genratech
www.genratec.com

When tackling the important goal orientated tasks, I set a kitchen timer for an hour and this sets a deadline, a bit like being in an exam when you have to get as much in as possible in that time. When the timer goes off I stop and acknowledge what I have done (and after a cup of tea) reset it!

Prior to trying this I found my time would imperceptibly slip away. This method ensures I acknowledge and am aware of every hour, which is definitely making me more productive and thus closer to achieving my goals.

Linda Fairbairn
Journey Jottings
www.journeyjottings.com

Goal Achievement

My secret weapon for goal achievement is being a master implementer. I start by asking myself the questions "Am I just curious about my potential goal or am I dedicated to achieving it?" and I think this is a fabulous way of looking at things. For example, when I last sat down to write a fresh list of goals in the New Year (which I do quarterly) I wrote down about 20 goals and I noticed at the bottom of the list was lose weight and get a relationship. For starters, the fact that they were at the bottom of the list rung alarm bells, so I asked myself if I was dedicated or just curious about these goals. To be honest the last thing I need right now is a man so I decided to scratch it from the list and focus my time and energy on the goals that I was truly dedicated to achieving.

Once I had my list down to two major goals and several minor ones, I decided this was more than enough for the next quarter. You don't want to overwhelm yourself with 100s of goals and you don't want to end up doing them all half-heartedly. You want to truly commit to the goals that you want to achieve with all your passion and drive.

Once you've decided on your goals the next step is to break them down into daily and weekly tasks. For example if your goal was to lose weight some tasks may be to excercise weekly and to follow a healthy eating plan.

So in breaking down your goals you are coming up with the steps you need to take to be able to achieve your goal. You need to prioritise these actions and diarise them into your calendar as appointments. Then you need to review them. Keep them top of mind; make time weekly to check in with how you're going and if you're on track. A great suggestion is to keep the list on your computer as a screen saver.

Lastly you need to surround yourself with your goal. By this I mean, have photos on a visual dream board of your goal, visualise how your life will be when you achieve your goals. If for example you want to lose weight, fill your home with books on weight lose and healthy food. No matter what your goal is immerse yourself in it. Live it, breathe it, be it!

So you could say

Step 1 is to decide what you are committed to achieving
Step 2 is to break your goals down to measurable tasks
Step 3 is to review them weekly and
Step 4 is to surround yourself with your goals

Best of luck in 2009 in achieving your goals.

Kristy Spraggon
www.kirstyspraggon.com.au

I think one of the most important strategies for achieving goals is to concentrate on the 'Be' of the 'Be, Do, Have' principle. Who do you have to Be? How do you have to operate? in order to be able to 'Do' what you need to do so you can 'Have' (achieve) your goal. For instance if your goal is achieve (have) a certain level of sales, then you need to 'Be' someone who is willing and comfortable to (Do) pick up the phone, go to networking events, etc. So the question is "Who do I need to 'Be' to achieve this goal?"

Wendy Buckingham
www.wendybuckingham.com.au

I have found that creating a goal collage where I post images of my goals onto the pages of my diary, helps me to achieve my goals by making them appealing.

For example, one of my goals was to complete a car care workshop manual. I spent a few hours writing the components of this goal (yes we all get up to this stage I hear you say) and then found pictures, which symbolised each section: tyres, under the bonnet, ice breakers etc and I stuck a picture of each component on each page of my diary, reminding me of which component I was working on that day.

The goal was thus completed in two weeks (very arduous task otherwise) and the collage was an activity I did with my three year old.

Eleni Mitakos
Galmatic
www.galmatic.com

What works for me:

• Having a very clear big picture and detailed roadmap for my business
• Making sure my business plan, marketing strategies and business development activities are all in alignment
• Developing a quarterly plan where I focus on one theme and a maximum of three to five priorities, with critical numbers to measure them
• Selecting weekly activities that support the quarterly plan
• Reviewing progress against the plan each week and refine as appropriate
• A big one for me, is focusing on the activities that lead to the outcomes rather than, just the outcomes. E.g. if I focus on doing the six business development meetings I need to do each week, I achieve my sales goals. If I focus on the overall budget, I lose focus on the BD activities, and don't achieve my goal.

I also look at what works and what doesn't work most days and make any necessary changes so that I can achieve my big picture goal.

In terms of what doesn't work:

• Setting unrealistic expectations
• Sometimes allowing myself to procrastinate or do activities that don't support my overall goals (more procrastination).

Maria Anderson
Sustainable Marketing Services
www.sustainablemarketingservices.com.au

Does goal setting work? And if it does work why don't more people set goals? People say they have goals but when you ask them to write them down they can't articulate them.

The main reason goal setting/getting doesn't work for people is this. There are two motivational strategies - moving AWAY (from pain) or moving TOWARDS (pleasure). Most people run a motivational strategy that is moving away from pain. It is easier for them to say what they don't want than what they do want. They are problem solvers not goal seekers.

Finding the pain point is the cornerstone of most successful sales training programs. Why? because (a) people are problem solvers, and (b) they are motivated by avoiding pain.

And what of the media? Count the fear based stories and compare them to feel good stories. Our world is filled with a litany of messages that reinforce fear and pain.

Ken Blanchard popularised the phrase 'catch people doing things right', such a simple yet profound message that is so rarely practiced.

If goal setting/getting is to work we must re-orientate our motivational strategy, clearly articulate what we want, tune out from the media, disrupt our negative programming and in its stead replace with positive affirmations.

Dennis Roberts
CoachPro

Being organised is crucial. Once I've set goals, the most important factor in achieving them is organising a structure to make them happen. It might be putting gym classes in my diary to achieve a fitness goal or adding tasks to my to-do list for a business goal, but it's the act of organising what's needed next that moves me forward.

Michele Connolly
GetOrganizedWizard
www.GetOrganizedWizard.com

So, what now?

This month we're focusing on Goal Setting and Goal Achievement at the Australian Businesswomen's Network (ABN).

As an organisation committed to helping women grow their businesses, here are four things you can do today to achieve your goals.

1. Read the articles in this newsletter.
Go back to the first page and click through to the great goal setting and goal achievement articles and tips in this newsletter.

2. Join a Member Goals Group
As a member of the ABN you'll be able to join a Member Goals Group - a group of peers who meet regularly to support each other in achieving their goals.

3. Let a mentor help you get your business goals
Take a look at the MentorNet mentoring program for women. Your mentor will help you set and achieve your goals with guidance, business education and access to resources.

4. Become a full member of the ABN and fast track your business growth

Not a member? The ABN is a one-stop-shop that will help you to:

• expand your network of valuable contacts - network without the hype and falseness you find at most events
• improve your business skills and access business experts who have answers to your questions
• surround yourself with inspiring, forward-moving people who want to help you achieve your goals
• promote your business and raise your profile
• feel more confident in yourself and raise your self-esteem

Membership is less than $1 a day. So don't waste another day. Become a member of this women's network today.

Warm wishes,
Suzi

P.S Next month we're looking at Social Media... don't miss the chance to learn how to use technology to grow your business.

P.P.S. You can access more articles on Goals and Goal Achievement at our website. Just search the articles, using the keyword 'Goals'.

P.P.P.S For more tips and information to help you grow your business, subscribe to our blog.