Recipes for Success - tips, tools and information to help start and run a successful B&B business

Thinking of starting a bed and breakfast? Learn to set goals!

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There is an ancient Chinese saying that says the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In order to turn your dreams of starting a bed and breakfast into reality you must first turn your ideas from dreams into achievable goals.

An effective goal identifies where you want to be. So, if you are thinking of starting a bed and breakfast, goals will help you to determine how to get there, and will tell you when you have arrived.  Did you know that less than 30% of people actually set goals regularly?

When figuring out how to set goals, keep in mind that they have to be achievable. If you set a goal that is too high, you'll often end up frustrated, stressed, and hopeless.

The number one piece of advice I can give you is: To establish goals, you need to write them down.  You need to make them specific, measurable, attainable, relevant to what you are trying to achieve, and timely (SMART).  It is important to recognize and acknowledge your progress, so make sure you cross off each item as you accomplish it to see how close you are getting to starting your b and b.

In order to apply this specifically to opening your dream B&B, take the information you’ve gathered so far and state it as a goal:

I will open my B&B in (year).  

• Express your goal as a positive statement so you know how it will move you towards your dream

• Now break down the activities you need to accomplish into mini-goals

• Be very precise - use dates, times and amounts so you know when you’ve achieved that goal.  Keep your goals small and easily achievable so you will feel you are making progress.

• Prioritize your goals, so that you don’t feel overwhelmed and you will focus on the ones that will move you towards your final goal quickest.

• Make sure the goals you set are ones that you have control over – nothing is more discouraging than not being able to move ahead because you have to wait for other people

• Realize that goals are not carved in stone – sometimes you will need to modify them because you learn new information that changes the direction you were taking, things out of your control will happen to divert your attention for a while, etc.

Please see the Goal Setting Template on the Free Resources page of a sample form you can use to record your goals to get moving forward on starting your own bed and breakfast.  I promise that if you set your goals and stay focused, rather than wasting time, you will achieve your dream B&B. 

If you really want to stay on course, provide someone you know (who will hold you accountable) with a copy…it will keep you on track!  And, if you need further assistance in getting started with goal setting, why not sign up for a Free 30-day goal achievement system that comes via e-mail from Neworld Coaching?

Setting goals is just one of the many things that you will learn from The B&B Coach’s “Is it a good fit for me?” bed and breakfast e-mail course, available in a variety of formats.

If you found this blog post useful, you might also want to read:

Are you considering opening a bed and breakfast?

What is a bed and breakfast business plan?