Are you preparing to slam dunk this year?

Before you know it, the Easter bunny will be here. It’s January 2012 and if you haven’t planned your strategy to take on the year proactively and haven’t started to execute on your goals, I’m afraid your competitors have.

The Job Capital team has both business and personal goals.

We finished planning 2012-2013 in November 2011. We are executing for our new product launch in February this year. We are on track, we are measuring and we are accountable.

Details change, but overarching goals don’t. We think big and we want big results. We think fast and we want a fast growth company to continue to grow faster.

There are many ways to goal set and for me the personal goals are not only as important, but they interweave in the business goals for Job Capital.

So how do you form, set, and most importantly execute to achieve your goals to slam dunk 2012? I asked my amazing team at Job Capital how they do this.

So along with my hot goal setting tips, I am sharing from one of the most goal driven teams I have ever lead:

1. Goals must be achievable and realistic and have a timeframe attached.

2. Have a road map to the goal, starting from achievement and working backwards to the start (now).

3. Make time to plan and set your goals without disruption (turn off all distractions).

4. Do a mental dump of all ideas freely and don’t make your first round your last. This process may take a day, a week, and an hour. Stick to the time frame you have given yourself to do this.

5. Decide if your goals are short-, medium- or long-term (what is short-, medium- and long-term to you?)

6. Big goals must have a vision and a big picture attached. Break this into manageable components that are measured by effectiveness and progression.

7. Spot check yourself along the execution stage and redesign process if need be.

8. Seek opinions of your progress and take on board constructive feedback and do a 360 degree review of what has been achieved and what is still to achieve. Are the goals aligned with the original vision?

9. Leave a margin for emerging trends and patterns not previously identified.

10. What is the most important and which has the greatest priority for you?

11. Share your goals, it makes you accountable.

12. Execution is the key to success. Do it now!

I must look at my goals daily. I have a place card on my PC at work and a card in my wallet. I look at my business and personal goals daily. I live and breathe them.

I know I will achieve them because they are a part of every day for me.

Job Capital’s goals are clearly defined. They are, carefully thought through, measurable, reviewed weekly, shared and broken down into workable pieces. We celebrate the achievement of every goal, no matter how big or small.

If you do not have goals, you cannot have purpose or a reason to be fulfilled in your personal life or your profession. Without goals, direction is impossible. A business without goals is an idea and will never materialize.

As Nike say, “Just do it!” Slam dunk 2012 for yourself personally and for your business.