Let’s Talk Goal Getting

Goal Setting? Bo**ocks! Let’s talk Goal GETTING!

Yawn, Yawn, Yawn. It seems that even in the second half of January you still can’t move for goal setting advice, New Year’s resolutions, ‘Dry January’, ‘Try January’ and general all round well-meaning but thoroughly fluffy and useless advice on how to change your life in 2016.

We all know that it’s the perfect time of year for stepping back and working ON your business, don’t we? In fact that was what I was talking about in my VIP email yesterday; the importance of working ON your business, rather than constantly playing the martyr in your own business by being hands on and operational the whole time.

So, if you’ve looked at your performance in 2015 and you want to do something about it, what are your new goals and, most importantly, what are you going to be a Goal GETTER, rather than just a Goal Setter?

Yesterday I was reviewing our members’ ‘Success Secrets’ videos for the new Hospitality Entrepreneur (HE) website and was particularly struck by an interview I did with Alex Reilley (entrepreneur extraordinaire and Founder and Chairman of the Loungers and Cosy Clubs group), on ‘What Makes a Good Entrepreneur?’ In the video, he talks openly about the Loungers story, how the company developed so successfully and their plans for the future. In particular, he identifies the skill of constant goal setting, re-setting and the concentration of all efforts on GETTING these goals, as being core to the success of Loungers, now arguably the most successful Café Bars in the UK.

As independent operators (‘Indies’), it’s all too easy to become distracted, lose sight of one goal, become disenchanted, return to ‘hands on’ duties or attracted by the next big, shiny, thing. Alex experienced the same distractions in the early days also. However, over time, he and his Partners became experts in Goal GETTING, concentrating on their plans and, ultimately, what was in their Business Plan, in line with their vision and culture and, of course, on what made the business money. Similarly, my own business Guru, arguably even more successful than the Loungers boys, Ajith Jayawickrema, has always extolled the virtue of what he calls the “ability to be a Finisher”.

Think, discuss and agree on your goals (both ‘A’ and ‘B’ goals) with your ‘Inner Circle’. Scrutinise them, develop the strongest possible plan and get implementing it, so that you FINISH all the necessary actions and finally GET your goals.

We’ll be exploring the whole realm of Goal Getting over the next few weeks in Hospitality Entrepreneur. It really is the starting point for all you budding and experienced entrepreneurs, embarking on a mission to work ON your business more, rather than constantly IN it.

In my own little way, one of my goals for 2016 is to run and COMPLETE the London Marathon in April, just 90 Days away. I know my goal, I’m doing (most of) the horrible necessary actions, like getting out training most mornings, in order to complete it. Hence my short and crispy Vlog from this morning. I hope you enjoy it and look forward to catching up with you about your Goal Getting shortly.

Bye for now,

Peter Austen

There will be Goal Getting advice and resources for you to download next week. You just have to be a Hospitality Entrepreneur VIP! CLICK HERE to find out more