Goal setting is an incredible tool for mapping out your future and committing to new initiatives for the coming year to ensure you’re doing the right things and are in the right places. In addition to goal setting, I developed a year-end checklist to review each December so I am up to date and ready to tackle the coming year.

Annual Checklist

• Update your professional profile (the one you would include in proposals or give to new contacts). Add awards, recognitions, appointments to new boards…
• Update your LinkedIn profile and any other web presence
• Make up one new big idea for the year
• Review charitable/civic/hobby organizations: drop them or add some
• Clean up your database
  • Delete waste-of-time prospects
  • Update missing data fields
•  List three new marketing initiatives you want to achieve in the coming year (market via Twitter/LinkedIn, start writing personal notes, create a postcard mailer, etc…)
• Discuss your plan/goals with a mentor and listen to their feedback
• Check next year’s professional development opportunities in your industry
• Check industry conference schedules to consider attending some place outside your market
• If you work for a company, how much money do YOU need to budget for personal branding initiatives, education, attending industry events; don’t rely wholly on the company
•  How will you improve your health in the coming year?
• What will you commit to do for your family in the coming year?
• What are your plans to follow up with past clients?
• How will you plan your day, week, month, quarter?
• What will you do to stay accountable to your initiatives and goals?
• Are you strategic about prospecting small, medium and large opportunities?
• What tools/resources are available to you for you to use with your clients?
• Name three NEW sources or geographical areas to prospect
• Name three areas you want to be more proficient? Using Excel, CRM, learn more tools about your database software (Outlook, ACT!, etc…)
• In the coming year, how will you better differentiate yourself to your clients, peers and prospects?
• What hobbies/personal interest activities do you need to add in the coming year?
• How can you leverage the expertise of your office staff, management and in-house resources?
• What is your worst business habit and what will you do to minimize/eliminate?
• Make plans to be on an expert-panel or speak in front of groups (chambers, clubs)
• What do you do better than most? Can you delegate activities you’re not so good at?
• Be able to describe the top 2-3 things that give you a competitive advantage over your competitors (write them down).

Goals and initiatives should create a balance-of-life. In my particular case, my five “buckets” include self, faith, family, work and community.

Create goals and initiatives for each of your buckets to ensure you grow personally and professionally.