The Importance of Setting Goals

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The first thing a successful person needs to have is a goal (and the more, the merrier). We all seek success, and we know that nothing ever comes easy. In order to achieve the success we spend our lives chasing, we first need to define our goals. Once that is done, it’s time to start thinking about how to accomplish them.

I spent many years of my life seeking success before I realized that success is not a goal one can set for themselves, it is a product of achieving our goals.

During the past year, while operating my Swayy, I realized how important is to set goals in every aspect of life, both personal and professional. Setting clear and measurable goals can help in understanding the steps that lead to the finish line with arms up.

How to set a goal

Setting a goal is something you need to practice in order to get it right. It takes time to understand exactly how to set a clear goal that is possible to accomplish. Goal setting is a process that will help you motivate yourself, and the more detailed and precise the goal is, the better your brain will analyze the steps in order to achieve it.

What kind of goals can one have?

  • Professional – “To become a team leader in six months.”

  • Personal – “To know how to play The Beatles on the piano by the end of the month.”

There is a technique that first asks you to set a lifetime goal, such as “I want to play music”, then break it down to small, quantified goals such as “To know how to play piano in five months”. I personally find the task of setting a lifetime goals inefficient as compared to setting smaller, more immediately achievable goals. The smaller and more manageable a task is, the easier it is to measure success, and understand what needs to be done in order to accomplish it.

Accomplish one goal, then set the bar higher

Sometimes, we have a tendency lie to ourselves. It happens all the time, usually when we do something we don’t feel like doing, or are trying to find an excuse as to why we did not succeed.

I’m an ex-smoker, so I know a thing or two about lying to myself. I used to think I could stop smoking at anytime, and that smoking wasn’t that bad for me because I didn’t do it so often. Two and a half years ago, I actually stopped smoking. Luckily for me, it wasn’t the first time I tried to quit. In previous attempts, I always gave in to the temptation of bumming a cigarette, which eventually led me to buying my own pack, and smoking on a daily basis all over again.

I knew I had to set a goal for myself, and to goal was very clear: From the minute I decided to stop smoking, I couldn’t ask for or take a cigarette from anyone, ever. I found out that setting goals like “stop smoking” is too easy for me. So easy, I actually fooled myself into thinking that I really stopped smoking although I had a cigarette from time to time.

So, this time I decided to raise the bar a little bit, and instead of setting my goal to quit smoking, my goal became to NEVER smoke a cigarette again. I prevented myself from asking others for cigarette or even buying one. I was lucky, setting the bar so high actually worked.

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Know your progress, appreciate your success

Achieving a goal is a process, and like every process sometimes you take one step forwards and two steps back. Its important to know how to track and measure your progress. Some goals are “instant goals” that you can accomplished very quickly, but others depends on the progress you make along the way. Sometimes there is a long road on the way to achieving your goals.

Knowing how to be honest with yourself, and learning from the good and bad choices made along the road, are vital parts of the process of achieving your goals. Always know what went wrong, and what went right. When something goes wrong, learn from it and move on. When something goes right, however, make sure know how to enjoy it.

There’s nothing like the feeling of success, its such a thrill to know you’re on your way to achieving your goals and tasting the success you worked so hard for. Positive reinforcement is an essential part of achieving your goals, learn how to embrace it.

Be positive and have confidence in yourself, always

Can we accomplished a goal without believing that its possible? Sometimes I feel like setting a goal is a process of making you believe in yourself and in your capabilities.

I never thought I would write a blog and release it to the world, but I wanted to. This conflict led me to thinking that if I ever challenged myself to write blogs, I would find it so enjoyable that I would continue to do it even after I achieved my goal.

Goals can only be accomplished if we are “hungry” enough to achieve them. In order to be hungry, you need to really want it, and be sure that you will do anything in your power to get there. Self-confidence combined with a positive attitude is the key to quickly achieving our goals.


I would love to hear your thoughts about setting goals and achieving them, here or on Twitter.

Cheers,

Ohad

Being Wrong

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How do we make choices? What differentiates a good choice and a bad one?

We all do it, our daily lives are in a constant state of decision-making. In order to make a good decision, you first need to know all the facts, and then make a “rational” decision. The problem with that approach is that we are human, we are a lot of things. Rational is probably not one of them.

We usually use our subconscious to trick our brain into making decisions that we later realize are absolutely wrong. Humans are irrational in the way they perceive and save information, which can sometimes make it harder to make rational decisions.

So how can we make the right decision all the time?

Entrepreneurship stories

As the founder of a startup, I hear a lot of talk about what an entrepreneur should be, and the skills and characteristics we all must have in order to be successful. An entrepreneur should have a clear vision of the future and be a hard worker who is willing to dedicate everything they have without any guarantee of success. The most key part of the entrepreneurial arsenal is resilience, because things are going to get worse before they get better.

One of the most important things every entrepreneur needs to have is the understanding that there are no guarantees in this business, even if you bust your ass. When failure happens (and it will, at one point or another) entrepreneurs must have the strength to come back and win.

Back when I first started my own company, I had the mindset that failing was not an option. Two years later I realized I was right, Failure is not an option, it’s a fact.

Failing is cold, hard fact. You will fail, but don’t fight it. Embrace it.

Your Failures Defines You

Your failures defines who you are. It defines who you are as a person and it defines you as an entrepreneur.

My failures define me. It’s been a two-year journey since I started my first company, and the thing that most strikes me is that I always thought my next move would be the right one.

Isn’t that what they mean when they say an entrepreneur should have a clear vision of what the future will look like? Our decisions, both bad and good, will shape our future. This is the reason why decision making is not something you were born with, it’s a skill you gain along the way. The more bumpy the path, the more your decision making process improves.

We all learn from the mistakes we made in the past, but the past is the past, and entrepreneurship is about the future. This is exactly why I decided I want to learn from my own mistakes, before they even happen.

I’m wrong

“There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil. ” ― Ayn Rand

The thing about always thinking that your next move might be wrong, is that it allows you to create an alternative plan and really think through all the possible scenarios in making your next decision. Being able to predict potential failure is an invaluable skill that all of us can benefit from. By always thinking that you’re possibly wrong, you position yourself to be in a win-win situation. If you’re right (and your next move is indeed wrong), you can always go for the backup plan, iterate fast and win. In case you’re wrong, it actually means that your next move was the right one.

When facing a decision making moment, our brains analyze the facts and information using pattern recognition. The way we react to that information relies on emotional tags that are stored in our memory, but there are a few techniques to help make a better decision, such as opportunity costs, elimination by aspects, and even flipping a coin.

You will always face at least two different scenarios in every decision you make (if there’s only one scenario, you’ve already made the decision).
Since we started Swayy, I learned that what helps me make better decisions and efficiently manage risk, is to always look for a solution to at least two opposite scenarios.

Someone once told me that we can’t be always right because then we wouldn’t have a way to appreciate a moment of success. Now, I agree. As stupid as it sounds, sometimes making a bad decision and being wrong is an important lesson in life.

All you need to do in order to make good decisions, is to have one thing in mind – prepare yourself to be wrong, get up again, and win.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on how to improve the decision making process. Also, if you are thinking about sharing this article, trust me, it’s the right decision.

P.S. If you are interested in using Swayy, leave your email at www.swayy.co to join our growing private beta.

 

Cheers,

 Ohad

Photo credit : http://www.christianphotos.net/

Things I Learned About Building a Great Team

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Teams are what drives success. Sport teams, rock bands, startups.  Each one has the potential to rise or fall based on the group of people that share the same passion and goals.

Being a huge sport fanatic, I grew up knowing the importance of having a great team. Michael Jordan, Brett Favre and others were lucky to have fantastic talent as well as great teammates who helped them become the best they could be.

In the past few years, I’ve had the chance to be a part of several teams in both my professional and personal life. When my partners and I started working on [Summer], I finally understood the meaning of having an excellent team where each team member contributes his skills, knowledge and personality for the benefit of the whole.

Here are some key factors that, in my opinion, make a great team:

Defense, Attack

Ask any sports team manager about what kind of team he would like to have, and he will most likely answer, “A balanced one”. A balanced team consists of a variety of players – defenders and attackers, as well as the creatives and those who are more grounded. Having different kinds of teammates that complement one another makes the team more balanced.

In a startup environment, I learned to really appreciate my teammate with abilities that I don’t (and might never) have. Sometimes I feel more confident in moving forward with decisions because I know that my teammates thinks it’s the right thing to do.

The More, the Merrier

When working in a team, a difference of opinion between the team members is inevitable. When working on product development, marketing strategy, etc., the process usually starts with with a GIANT brainstorming session. We believe that each and every one of us can contribute to the debate, even if it’s not in his area of expertise.

Having your team all together in a brainstorming session can help you face possible problems and challenges that wouldn’t have crossed your mind if you were alone in the room. Brainstorming-wise – the more is indeed the merrier.

The Devil’s Advocate

I have a bad habit, or a good one – depending on how you look at it. I’m not a YES man. Never have been and I think it’s not a part of my DNA to be one.
I believe the truth – as bad as it might sound – can be good for you (and your business). IMHO this is one of the most important attributes in great teams: no one should be a YES man. Nothing is obvious – when someone says NO about something that seems obvious, a wonderful thing happens – you start thinking it through.

Being a YES man is the easiest job in the world: just nod your head to anything you hear. However, a YES man is an obstacle. We tend to convince ourselves that what we’ve arrived at the best solution possible, but often it takes hearing the first “No” to realize a rethink is necessary. DON’T ever surround yourself with YES men, they might help your ego, but they are bad for your business.

Learn from the best

No ones perfect, that’s for sure, but each and every one of us should aim to be the best. In order to be the best, you need to learn from those who are better than yourself. I used to think I was a pretty good product guy, but after Oz joined the team, I realized I still have a lot to learn and achieve.

The same goes for everyone else in my team (Lior, Emily and Shlomi)– I think they are better than me in each of their fields. I can learn so much from watching them do their thing. In the future, I’m sure I will use some of the techniques I learned from them. Being based in a group of people in which each one can learn from the others how to improve their own skills and become better is something every team needs.

Aim to be the best, but first surround yourself with those who are better than you so you have the opportunity to learn and improve personally, as well as make the team stronger.

Friendship

This is something obvious, especially in small teams. Acting like a family is the only way to get everyone to care about the product, the business, and one another.

Laugh, cry, fail, and learn together. Building your own company is a long journey with many ups and downs, but going it through together, with a great team of people you see as your family will improve your chances to succeed.

I would love to hear about your experience in building a successful team or being a part of one here or over Twitter

Ohad

5 tips for content marketing success

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The latest buzz in marketing is that content is king. Content creates trust, and trust, as we all know, can drive sales.

During the past few years, a lot of small/medium business, startups and individuals have been dedicating enormous resources to create, find and share relevant content that will help them build a community of customers, colleagues and friends.

Content marketing, as new and fresh as may seem, is not a new thing. This marketing technique has been in use for ages. Lately however, it enjoys popular attention as the use of social media grows exponentially.

At [Summer] we decided to allocate several resources in the execution of our content marketing strategy. We are learning a lot during this process, and I am finding that without a doubt this is the most effective form of marketing I’ve used. We create, find and share content that others love to read, content that will help us create a conversation. This is no longer a “one-way” form of marketing where a banner or TV commercial will transmit what I have to say to the customer – leaving them without a means to respond (well, besides buying my product). Content marketing helps us reach our potential and current customers, and form a dialog with them. This is priceless.

Here are some tips that helped me create and share interesting content.

Say what you want to say – someone will listen

Yes, content marketing is like any other marketing strategy. It has specific metrics that you need to measure in order to understand whether your marketing efforts drive sells, brand awareness or any other measurement you deem important.
Unlike other forms of online marketing (i.e ads), it’s not only a matter of clicks, impressions and intent. Content marketing is also about being someone who people look up to in certain fields and want to hear what he has to say. Thought leadership is an important part of your brand awareness and when you share your ideas with your community – you will always find someone happy to listen.

In Treatment

I must admit, I used to love writing when I was a teenager, but I would never think I would write something and publish it to the ENTIRE web.
When I started my own company I realized I need to be more open and share my thoughts and ideas with everyone else around me. I look at my blog as my psychologist, I can vent about my failures, experiences I’ve had along the way, and more business-oriented topics. Content marketing can be used in a personal way; talk about things you’ve experienced, it won’t be hard to find peers that have had similar experiences.

It’s not only about creating content

I personally think that the most effective form of content is the one you actually create on your own. However, not all of us love to write and even those who do, might not have the time to do it on a regular basis.
Not being a content creator doesn’t mean you can’t have an effective content marketing strategy.
Here is a fact : I don’t read the newspaper (most of it doesn’t interest me), but I love reading online.
Instead, I read the newspaper my community created, the things my network finds interesting enough to share. That means that if you share relevant content (news, sports, music etc.), I’ll follow your posts in order to discover this content more frequently.

Visual and music

One of the most “hottest” trends in content marketing is infographics. People react better to visuals than to regular text, I recommend sharing as many photos and infographics as you can.
And for all you music lovers – share music across your social networks. Everybody loves music, and when people love what you share – they will make it known.

Measure

Here’s something you won’t hear during your marketing classes in school – marketing is an analytic space.
You can be a brilliant storyteller, a wizard in copywriting but it won’t help you unless you will know exactly how to measure it. You can gain a lot other things from creating and sharing content, but in order to have a successful marketing strategy you need to measure your efficiency across all marketing channels.
I believe that content marketing is invaluable in directing new customers to your website or product. It can fuel your brand awareness efforts, and more importantly, it will help you build a community around your thoughts and experiences.

I would love to hear your experience with creating, finding and sharing quality content here or over Twitter.

Ohad

Walking

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It was probably one of the worst weeks of my life.

All my friends were heading for long vacations, but I decided to stay so that I could focus on my job. I was young, ambitious, and very stupid for not joining their adventures (but that’s another story).

I was living outside the city I worked in, and drove each morning to the office. One day, the car broke down. I found myself desperate on the side of the road — friendless and without money.

The funny part about desperation is that it forced me to think differently — it challenged me to be creative. The problem was simple: I was stuck. Naturally, there was a simple solution (which is often the most creative and hard to come by). I began to walk.

Although I wasn’t yet sure what the questions were, I started walking because I had to find answers. At the time, it felt right. I started walking because I didn’t have any other choice at the time, but that’s the beauty of it. When you don’t have a choice and you run out of options – any opportunity may arise.

For almost six months I spent two hours a day walking (14.5 KM a day to be precise). I had so much on my mind that I needed time away from the routine of life to sort it out. In some way, I believe that walking prevented me from standing still.

Walking two hours each day helped me become a critical thinker. My mind was working constantly. Pondering life, ideas, and soccer. Every second of my daily journey was meditation. The world around me lost focus, and I didn’t pay attention to anything but my own thoughts. This daily ritual helped me to face the challenges that surrounded me.

Ups and Downs

There are situations in life when you feel stuck. Everything around you is moving fast and you’re clueless. You don’t know what to do and how to do it.

While working on Summer we encountered many challenges and problems along the way, but knew how to face them. We were determined not to let any problems delay or stop us from fulfilling our vision. We made sure to eliminate any outside noise that prevented us from focusing on building our product. At times we had to think more creatively in order to find the right solution to each problem; sometimes we made the right choice and sometimes we didn’t. Either way, the fact that we kept moving forward instead of standing still is something that I’m proud of.

In the past few months, we’ve achieved more than building a great product – we’ve also built a company that we believe in. We learned how to work better as a team, how to think everything through, and that every time something looks insurmountable, all we need to do is to just keep walking.

Ohad

Moving Out Of The Garage

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Moving out of the garage to an accelerator program.

I was pretty sure it was over. My first attempt at being what everyone likes to call an entrepreneur had failed.

I spent an entire, idealistic year working in a “garage” building a product that no one wanted to use. I spent all my money, time, and energy only to realize at the end that I forgot the most important thing. I was so absorbed in the little world I created that I forgot to ask my audience what they thought. By ignoring the end-user, we, as a company, doomed ourselves to failure.

Then came the day when I had to admit it was over — time to leave the garage and get a real job. I had gone without a paycheck as long as I possibly could. Failure wasn’t the worst part — it was that I would have to wait indefinitely for a second chance.

I was busy wallowing in my misery when I got the call. We were accepted into an accelerator program, but not because of our failed product. The decision makers at the IDC Elevator believed in us, in our potential to be successful entrepreneurs, which was far more gratifying than belief in a product.

Being a part of an accelerator program is a unique experience. I’ve gotten to know so many brilliant people — mentors, investors, and most exciting of all — an exceptional group of young entrepreneurs (one of them being Gil Sadis, CEO at Licensario who also wrote about accelerator programs here). Entrepreneurs who share the same dream of building something substantial that people will use; to build a company that is not only innovative, but one that can make a difference.

Working out of an accelerator has the same starting-small idea as a business grown out of a garage, but with so many more perks. Aside from mentoring and funding, the most important thing about an accelerator is that it helps you stay focused. This well-stocked hub is full of people that genuinely care about the other companies growing around them. The network of entrepreneurs that becomes friends, of human beings who understand and make mistakes too – that’s something that doesn’t exist in the dark, lonely garage with a partner, and it’s priceless.

For the first month of the program, we searched for an idea. After three exhausting tries, my co-founders and I decided to start from scratch and then we came up with Summer. Our Google Chrome baby grew out of a need that we came across in our own internet lives, and realized no one else was responding to. This time, we learned our lesson and spent endless hours in search of feedback.

Now, after months working in the IDC Elevator, I feel that I’ve grown not only as an entrepreneur, but also as a person. Working in the accelerator gave me the second chance I wasn’t sure I would find; for this I will always be grateful. I might fail again, or I may succeed. After spending six intense months of learning how to build great products (and most importantly how to ship them), I feel that my odds for success have greatly improved.

The garage was a nice start, but the accelerator gave us the pick up and dust off that we needed.

Cheers,

Ohad Frankfurt

Summer