Start with a plan, finish with success.

We are all familiar with the road map analogy to business planning. How can you know where to go if you don't have a destination? Creating a business plan feels arduous and overwhelming. Many successful professionals attempt to postpone or avoid the process altogether. They simply don't believe in its value, and the act of planning takes time away from the business and momentum. They already know in their mind where they want their business to be. But what is the risk of "winging it" or continuing to operate as you did last year and the year before?

First, not taking assessment of where you are and where the market is going or how client's expectations are changing could leave you falling behind. Then you have to play catch up.

Second, simply increasing a monetary goal doesn't address any talent, operational or technical gaps that affect how efficiently and effectively you achieve your goal.

Third, not abandoning efforts that take time and energy and produce mediocre results can hinder your performance and happiness. To determine what you might stop doing, you need to take stock of what is and isn't working.

It is important to document where you want to go, and set specific targets along the way to stay on track. No one wants to run out of gas right before you get close to your destination.