We all know that goal setting is critical for business. The most successful businesses create strategic business plans and review their goals regularly, usually annually and quarterly. However, as we have seen in the last few years in particular, things can change instantly.

No-one really know what is going to happen in a year, so annual goals may not be working right now. Even without the global change we are going through, setting such long reaching goals often means that you lose motivation halfway through.

The solution – setting the right goals at the right time.

Too often, we set goals and end up getting sidetracked because we set the wrong goals. You finally achieve something only to realize that you are no closer to what you actually wanted to achieve.

This is where your business vision plays such an integral part. All your business goals should revolve around your vision. If you are not clear on your business vision, get clear. Your vision is your destination, your goals are the milestones that mark your journey.

Your annual goals are often then longer term, larger achievements that will get you closer to that vision. But now is the time to break these down even further. What do you need to achieve this quarter to push you further toward your annual goals and therefore your vision. Break it down into monthly or even weekly goals.

Your goals need to be broken down into granular action steps. The more you can break down the goals, the more achievable each step becomes, building momentum to get to those larger annual goals. Setting SMART (Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound) goals helps break them down to achieve your plans. Once these smaller goals are achieved it creates motivation. Employees get that feeling of having a “win”, keeping them motivated and positive and keeping the momentum going.

Truly effective leaders focus on these defined milestones as they pave the way to their ultimate objective. They keep staff focused on the most critical activities and the rest falls into place.

Shorter term goals also allow for flexibility. Don’t get so caught up in the goal that you forget about the vision. Goals need to be able to move with the tides of life, business and the world.

As you are achieving your smaller, broken-down goals, it pays to revisit the larger, longer-term goals. Are you still moving towards them or did you get sidetracked somewhere? Sometimes you can drift away from what was important and you need a little course correction. Remember what it was that you wanted to accomplish in the first place.

Work out why you want to achieve your goals, break them down into SMART goals and start working towards them. Let your vision on momentum motivate you toward ultimate success