Reflecting and Recalibrating – Make Goal Setting Part of Your Business Repertoire

It definitely seems like 2019 is already in full swing! Have you taken some time to reflect on successes and challenges you achieved last year and focus on a goal or two for what you’d like to gain this year for yourself and your travel business?

As part of reflecting on 2018, did you achieve your goals? If yes, did you celebrate? If not, have you reassessed your goals to see if they are still relevant to your business and to evaluate any barriers that prevented you from attainment? Perhaps your business goals were not aligned with your personal goals, which may have been intentional or not.

Now’s the time to take learnings from how you did last year and determine where you want to go this year. Why is this so important? I think Steven Covey states it best in his bestselling book, 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, by encouraging us to “begin with the end in mind.” To be successful, you must make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life or business – then establish a plan to help you get there.

For those of you who are members of Nexion Travel Group® or know me well, you’ve heard me coach my recommendations that you, as a business owner, find the discipline and make the time to work ON your business and not just IN it. The truth is … first you must define what success means to you. Think of it as a destination, and then develop a tactical plan to help you achieve it. Goal setting allows you to focus on your path to success and provides you a benchmark for determining whether you are actually succeeding.

In addition to setting powerful, SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound), I highly encourage you to ensure your established goals are motivating to you. Focus on why they’re important and what the value to you is in achieving them. If you aren’t motivated, it’s likely you won’t put in the effort required to make them happen. Goal achievement requires commitment.

I also recommend that you develop a tactical plan of action to achieve these goals and write them down. This step is often missed in the process of goal setting. Don’t get so focused on the outcome that you forget to plan all the steps needed along the way and that you review them regularly (at least quarterly at a minimum). By keeping track of individual steps and crossing them off when completed, you'll realize you’re making progress toward your ultimate goal. Revisiting them regularly also allows you to tweak them based on the shifting travel marketplace. For long-term goals, ensure you establish milestones that enable you to celebrate small “wins” so you don’t get discouraged.

If one of your SMART goals is to develop your niche, I highly encourage you to add “attend a Nexion Travel Group specialty event” to your tactical plan of action. Our specialty events empower you to zero in and develop a profitable niche, helping you stand out in today’s marketplace. Covering a wide range of profitable topics, these events show you how to fine tune your sale skills in just a few days.

Are the goals you set for yourself still relevant? Is your action plan delivering desired results? Your end destination may remain quite similar during the long term, but the action plan you set for yourself along the way can change significantly. Make sure the relevance, value and necessity remain high. Now is the time to put your plan in place to make 2019 your best year yet!

About the Author

Jackie Friedman is the president of Nexion® Travel Group, a fully accredited host agency owned by Travel Leaders Group. She oversees a team of 60+ employees supporting 4,000+ independent travel professionals in North America, and has been with the host agency since 2004. Jackie is often asked to participate on industry panels and supplier advisory boards. She sits on the Travel Institute Board of Trustees and was on the ASTA Board of Directors from 2012-2016. Jackie is a recipient of the Barbara O'Hara Award for Advocacy, among other industry honors and lifetime achievement awards.