Goal setting is the closest thing to magic you can find. It works way better than the ‘hope plan,’ wishing on a star or playing the lottery. Like most good things, there are rules to follow, and as long as you follow the rules, you’ll reach your goal! Here are the 5 rules to setting goals…
- A Goal Must Be Realistic And Achievable For You.
That means no highballs. If you’re in sales, that means the salesperson sitting next to you may be able to double their sales tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean you can. Nor does it mean you can’t double or even triple your own sales. ‘Realistic’ for you just means set goals you can reach with a ‘targeted’ effort.
Realistic is determined by two things: effort and time. If you’re selling 8 units now and you’re willing to put in the effort it takes to improve, you can easily double your sales within 90 days. Doubling your sales would be totally unrealistic, though, if you aren’t willing to develop your skills, and if you aren’t willing to do more demos, etc. Always remember this quote… “If it is to be, it’s up to me.”
- Write Your Goals Down.
- Only three percent of the people set and reach their goals. Writing them is a rule.
- Those three percenters earn 10 times as much in their lifetimes as the ninety-seven percent who don’t set goals.
- Ninety-four percent of written goals are achieved.
If you want to hit your goals, stop saying, “I know what I want – I don’t need to write it down.” Instead put your goals on paper today.
- You Must Have A Written Plan.
Imagine you’re in Chula Vista, CA, which is about the furthest southwest point in the U.S. and heard fishing was great in Quoddy Head, ME, almost at the furthest northeast point. If your only plan for your seven-day vacation is to take a nice drive and just “head northeast,” I don’t care how much enthusiasm you have, without a map (the plan), or even with one, if you don’t follow your plan (the map), you’ll probably never make it, at least not before your vacation ends. Why? Because whether it’s a trip or a goal, you’ll have dozens of unexpected twists, turns and detours along the way to slow you down. So set a goal, map it out, and follow your plan. Like I said in the beginning, you can do anything, but you’re going to have to put together a rock solid ‘targeted’ plan to make improvements rather than just working harder.
- Follow Your Plan!
Even people who take the time to set realistic and achievable goals, write them down, and even write out their plan, often don’t follow through on the plan they write. Yep, just like New Year’s resolutions, people do a great job for a few days, but usually not long enough to develop their skills or change their habits. Self-discipline is critical. Without discipline, or some incredible ‘good luck,’ you may get started, but you’ll almost always miss the pot of gold that’s right in front of you. Please Note: The only thing wrong with ‘luck’ – it’s usually never there when you need it the most. Make A Commitment
You’re changing skills and habits that will benefit you for life!
- Read Your Goals and Check Your Progress Every Day!
We learn and develop habits through repetition. The repetition of reading your goals and reviewing your progress keeps you focused on your goals. Pick your battles (your goals)… You can’t focus on 10 major goals, so keep those BIG goals to a maximum of two or three a month and review your progress (tracking) every day. Put your top three goals into daily reminders on your smartphone. Or, print them out and put them where you will see them several times a day (refrigerator, bathroom mirror or wallet). No real rocket science – just five easy steps to get what you want. “A dream with a deadline…” Most people just daydream about the things they want, but never turn those dreams into reality. Don’t just be a dreamer, turn your dreams into achievements. You just have to make changes in what you do, so you can get what you want. Not just in business, but in everything you do. Life is too short, so get ahead of the game in sales and stay there instead of always trying to catch up. Since we’re at the beginning of 2018, it’s good to get on track now…Get my ‘Goal Setting’ book at JoeVerde.com/store – it’s free and get to our class to start reaching those important goals in your life. Do it – you’ll be glad you did!
