I’ve been a business and marketing coach for some time now, and I've seen firsthand the transformative power of a well-crafted annual business plan, especially for women entrepreneurs in the service industry. In a world where different ideas and opportunities fire at us from all directions, having a clear roadmap for the next 12 months is not just about setting goals – it's about writing your own success story and sticking to a clear path.

The Magic of a Well-Defined Plan

Running a successful business takes more than having a great idea and hoping it comes to fruition. It takes careful planning and implementation. If you identify with being a creative sort, planning may not come naturally to you, in fact, you may shy away from all that ‘official’ type stuff completely. However, planning is important if you want to achieve your goals and serve the people who need you.

There are several areas to consider when creating your annual plan, but here...

If you want to be successful, one of the most important steps is setting goals.  If you just work to get things done, you end up going through the motions with no real purpose or drive. This is especially important as we move into the last part of the year. Now is the time to review the goals you set earlier and see if they are still relevant and important. There is still plenty of time to achieve your goals so here are a few tips to stay on track.

1. Write it down.

When it comes to keeping appointments and meeting deadlines, most people have to write them down —or else they somehow disappear until after they’ve passed. The same is true with goals. There is something magical that happens between the brain and the pen. By writing your goals down - and seeing your goals written, it reinforces that goal and makes it more attainable.

“By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want...

We all know goals provide focus. With no plan to guide you, people  tend to drift. But there is more to goals than you might think.

Setting and keeping goals is a skill, and like any skill, there’s a right way to do it. One thing you might find helpful is separating your goals into behavior-based and outcome-based models. There are a few differences between the two, and knowing which is which can be key.

Behavior-Based Goals

Behavior-based goals are typically changes you make to how you act. For instance, handling stress better, being nicer to others, and spending less time procrastinating are all examples of behavior-based goals. They focus on how you personally feel and behave, rather than just looking purely at the outcome of your actions.

Behavior-based goals play into outcome-based goals, but they aren’t the same. When you change how you think and feel, often you’ll notice a change in results. But that’s not the focus, it’s just...