Without first setting business goals, there's little chance that you'll reach your business goals. How can you, if you don't know what you're striving for? Many people have a vague idea of what business success means to them. For some it's oodles of money. For others it's control. And for others still, it's about fulfillment.

The funny thing about setting business goals is that once you reach one, oftentimes the others fall into line shortly thereafter. A good career coach will sit you down and force you to take stock of your dreams and ambitions. Once you eliminate the shackles of money (which is easy to do on paper but nearly impossible in real life) you may emerge with a clearer sense of your calling or purpose.

The Key to Setting Business Goals

Goal-setting is the unifying factor for all business success stories. Sure, there are a few companies that start out as mom-and-pop shops, then become hugely popular, seemingly overnight. But most CEOs and CFOs have arrived at their stations by setting specific goals for both themselves and their company. Of course, in the corporate world, the consequences of failing to reach those goals can be dire--an ouster from the company, a falling stock price. But not setting the bar high enough comes with its own attendant troubles.

The key is not only setting concrete goals, but reasonable ones. Do you want to grow by 20 percent in the coming year? Would you like to take your office "paperless," as so many digital workplaces have done? These are realistic goals that you can achieve with some work. Quintupling your revenues is a foolhardy plan, as is franchising every state in the country within the year. Embark on that type of campaign and you're setting yourself up for failure. The benefit of a career coach is that they can help you to set realistic goals that help you build toward success.