Do Your Dreams Have Deadlines?

I came across a wonderful quote today by business success authority Brian Tracy. He said, "Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines."

It really got me thinking about my own business plan and some advice from fellow PR practitioners reminding me of the importance of planning, setting goals and doing more than just hoping and dreaming. Although I do have a written business plan and have expertise in creating plans for clients, I decided my plan could use some fine-tuning as I kick things off in 2010.

A dream can more successfully become a reality when you put it in writing, and even more so when you give it some accountability. My refined plan will include some new elements, and I would encourage any small business owner or those dreaming of entrepreneurship to consider the following questions.

• What's your vision? You know, that BIG dream that you strive to become?
• What is your mission and what personal values do you want to incorporate into your company and your work?
• What are your greatest strengths and passions and how can you develop them into expertise in a particular niche area?
• What are your goals, and how will you measure them to determine success?
• What are five things you plan to do to market yourself to your audience?
• Where do you see yourself in six months? What about in a year? Five years?
• What is your timeline for meeting your goals? Make yourself accountable to these deadlines.

I'll be working to refine my own plan in the coming days and encourage all my fellow dreamers and business owners to do the same. I firmly believe it will make all the difference!