Recently I invited a woman who has a small fitness business--let's call her Sally--to join a business-planning workshop. A few days after my invitation, she called to thank me and said, "I recognize that this is an incredible opportunity, but I realized that I don't really want to grow my business. In fact, it is exactly how I like it."

My first reaction was puzzlement. I am wired to look at every business opportunity and think of how big, impactful and exciting it can be and to assume that all entrepreneurs are the same in this respect. I'm not alone in this. There are so many places where metrics for success--as defined by someone else--are thrown around. You don't have to read too much to get the impression that your company must reach $1 million to have "made it." For others, an appearance on Oprah is success. Membership in invitation-only "presidents clubs" is validation for some business owners.

But after I thought about it further, I felt tremendous respect for Sally. After all, in my view, one of the best reasons to start a business is to have the ability to structure life as one wishes. Despite the relentless views about what it means to be a success, she has chosen to base her definition of success on her own circumstances and vision. Don't get me wrong; there's nothing wrong with setting lofty goals and using metrics others have used, if that fits your vision for your business.

This takes me to the point. I have frequently stressed the importance of business planning. Far too often I meet people who have simply started their business but then are always too busy to pause to figure out what they hope to build. That's like leaving on a cross-country drive and being too busy driving to pull over and plan the route. Business plans have several elements, but nothing is more critical to a business than having a vision.

This is a clear statement that describes the business you are building. It will also describe the type of company you are building, the market it serves, the customers and products, and the size of the business.

So whether your vision is to break the $1 million mark in year two, to make Oprah's studio audience cheer or to make an extra $1,000 a month running a fitness company for a few hours a week, take the time to create a plan with a vision that is right for you.