Objectives

Many sources lump "goals" and "objectives." Wikipedia, for example, says: "An Objective is a goal, a planned or intended outcome."

I do not.

I define a goal as an intended outcome. An objective is a goal with a date. When you say, "I want to be rich," you are stating a goal, and intention. When you say, "I want to be earning $6.5 million per year by January 1, 2020," you are articulating an objective.

A goal is generally broader then an objective and is a very endpoint. For example my goal in life is to be sitting on the Shilthorn, a very beautiful Alp in central Switzerland, writing the great American novel. My objective related to this goal is to be earning $200,000 per year from my books by 2015.

Whether you agree with my definition or not, it's important that you define what you're talking about. Entrepreneurs need goals, something to shoot for, and they need a deadline so they know if they've accomplished what they they set out long ago. And if not, what they need to do to get themselves on track. Maybe the goal was unrealistic. Maybe the approach you used was not productive. Whatever. And it's important to write things down so you own them and can look back and measure your progress or lack thereof.

What do you think of this? What are your ideas? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Entrepreneurship informs all of my professional activities. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my real estate practice and my writing. For entrepreneurial real estate go to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog and for entrepreneurial writing to www.kearneymusicschoolmurders.blogspot/com.