Successful entrepreneurs are goal-driven and ambitious – they know what they want and how to achieve it. They are not afraid to speak about their bravest dreams and to share with the rest of the world their ideas, no matter how crazy these ideas may sound to the others. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone – there is a certain way of thinking that separates real, successful entrepreneurs from the wantrepreneurs, and to set clear goals is what the natural-born entrepreneurs know to do best.

There are ways to become better at goal setting and here you will find five top rules to follow if you want to make this process more successful and effective, to save yourself time and efforts and to achieve better results by concentrating on the right things.

Be specific

Imagine that you buy a new piece of furniture that you have to assemble yourself, but the instructions that you need to follow are not very specific and clear. You will have hard time doing the job if this is the case. On the other hand if you have clear instructions with visuals and detailed information, you are more likely to put together the furniture without any trouble. The same is with setting goals – if you have the goal written specifically, clear and very distinctly-defined, it will be easier for you to set your mindset in the right direction. Unclear goals are confusing and very difficult to focus on, so make sure that you define well what you want to achieve if you truly want to achieve it.

Break it on pieces

Once you have the specific goal set, it is time to focus on the execution plan. You know where you want to go, now is the time to map the road that leads to the desired destination. Break the main goal into smaller goals and start accomplishing them one after another. This is the way to achieving big results – dream big, start small and never give up.

Set a deadline

Having a time-frame that you follow is essential element that can help you reach your goals faster. If you have a deadline you are more likely to follow it, to avoid procrastination and to prioritize better the time you spend working on achieving your goals.

Evaluate often

Goals that are easily measured are more likely to be achieved. It is inspiring to be able to measure the results and evaluate the impact that you make with the efforts you put. Seeing results is very inspiring and is a great way to get motivated along your way to achieving the greater goal.

Be realistic

If you want to be able to achieve your goals, first and foremost, you should believe that they are achievable. Entrepreneurs are often inspired by very brave ideas, they dream big and are not afraid to think out of the box. All of this is great, but when it comes to business, it is important to stay realistic, to take under consideration everything that could go wrong, to be ready to change direction when needed and to stay in the present moment as much as you can. Many entrepreneurs concentrate too much on the future and overlook the importance of the present day. The future is created today, so make the most of every second.