"Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage but simply because they have never organized their energies around a goal."-Elbert Hubbard (writer and artist)

Sometimes as a business owner, you become so overwhelmed, the only thing you can do is take it one step at a time. And, although this may get you through the week, it's not going to help grow your business. Real growth comes from writing out the goals you plan to achieve--and then putting those goals into action.

Here are some "rules" to follow when creating metrics and other goals:

Specific- Know exactly what your goal is.
Measurable- Know whether you achieved the goal.
Achievable- Speaks for itself.
Relevant- Relates to the big picture.
Time Bound- When will you reach the goal?

Did you know...only 3% of the population has written goals? And, they earn ten times more than the rest.

If you truly want to see improvement and growth in your company, take the time to create SMART goals. Then, be sure to make yourself and your employees accountable for those goals. Otherwise, you will always be taking it a day at a time.