By: Warrren Gorowitz

Congratulations! It’s hard to believe, but we’ve made it through another year once again. I don’t know about you, but it seems that the older I get, the faster time goes by. December is a great time to reflect on your accomplishments from the past year while you develop your plan for the New Year.

So the big question is: Did you get anything accomplished this year?  

Everyone talks about goal setting; it’s one thing to write down your goals, but if you never look at them, then most likely you’re not going to get them done. Several years ago, a business consultant got me in the habit of splitting my annual goals into quarterly goals. There’s something to be said about looking at your goals in small bites. It also seems so much easier to get them accomplished if you can stay focused each quarter on what’s most important to you.

I also find it helpful to keep a goal list short and manageable. There’s no point in coming up with a list of 100 things you want to get accomplished in the year. Even after splitting those up into quarterly goals, you’ll feel like there’s no humanly way possible to get them done.

I realize that this column is business-focused, but it doesn’t hurt to set personal goals for yourself as well. Having the balance between your person and professional goals is very important.

Speaking of personal goals, one of my main hobbies is running. Over the past several years, I’ve involved a marathon intertwined with my vacations. In 2011, I ran the Venice Italy Marathon and for 2012, I committed myself to run the Solar Eclipse Marathon in Port Douglas, Australia. As I write this column, I’m just about recovered from this amazing race experience I had in November.

What made this marathon a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me was to watch a total eclipse with fellow runners on the beach in the northern part of Australia, and then run a marathon afterward in one of the most beautiful and challenging courses I’ve ever seen. Unlike most of the city runs I’ve done, this one was primarily out in the countryside. We ran through sugar cane fields, and trails in the middle of the rain forest.

One part of the marathon in particular was extremely challenging, because it involved a 2,000-ft. trail climb over two miles. And of course, what goes up, must come down, so running down that hill for two miles on a trail was quite taxing on the body. The rest of that marathon was quite a challenge, as my body was fatigued from the climb—and did I mention the 80°-plus weather with high humidity?

There’s no question that this was the most challenging race I’ve ever done, but with proper training and being focused on this goal, I finished. And I am glad I had the opportunity to experience it.

So what’s on my goal sheet for 2013? I’m considering the Great Wall Marathon in May in China. Sounds crazy, right?

Now’s the time
What are you going to work on to help your business (and your employees) reach the next level? What are your sales, marketing and operational goals—and how are you going to provide your employees with the tools, training and resources to execute your game plan?

Spending some time on annual planning is an essential part of a successful business model. Involving your employees in the process is one of the best strategies of goal setting. First, create a first draft of your company goals. Share this draft with your employees, and ask them to develop their own set of personal and professional goals.

Ideally, their professional goals will support the objectives outlined in your company goals. Sometimes, though, the best ideas for positive change come from your employees. Maintain an open mind, and some flexibility to modify your company goals based on their feedback if it makes sense for the greater good, and can contribute to the future development and success of your business.