As I began my day today by reviewing goal setting strategies and how to better set them up for success I listened to a video about goals where the speaker mentioned the Idea of writing out the intentions for each of your goals. Over the years I have often talked about the small percentage of people that set goals. This speaker brought a perspective that truly made me stop and think. Everyone has goals, resolutions, or dreams. However a very small percentage of people ever accomplish or reach them. The Idea was simple really however the implications on staying focused and determined through whatever roadblocks we encounter as we push towards our destination was astounding.
Resolutions often remind us of our faults and weaknesses while intentions tell us about all of the benefits that reaching the goal or accomplishing the resolution will bring us. Human nature is to give up and justify our failure when we hit a difficult point in our journey. Success always comes when people prepare, take action, stay focused on the destination, and remember why they are trying to get there. Success comes when we apply the discipline, work, and sacrifice necessary to reach the goal. The idea of keeping the intentions around the goal top of mind seems simple yet I wonder how many people do this compared to how many simply keep the goal itself in mind.
For example;
The goal is to buy your own home within two years your intention might be to provide more living space for your family. Invest money into something that you own instead of dumping money into a rental. And enjoy the ability to creatively alter or enhance it without asking someone else.
The goal is to be a better wife this year but your intentions are to strengthen the bond between you and your husband. Show him how special he truly is. Better understand his needs and how you can help him with them. And to invest time on truly understanding what makes him happy then exerting effort into making that a reality for him.
The goal is to make $5,000 more this year and the intention is to pay off debt and then celebrate by taking a long desired vacation. Then you will begin to utilize the extra money to build a family savings and do a monthly family fun day.
What is clear in this is that it is natural and easy to set down the resolution to buy a new house after the second or third time that life throws you a curve and you are struggling to save a down payment or your credit is not good. It is very easy to use the money that you are supposed to be saving to go out to dinner or to take that vacation that you have been daydreaming about. However what is not natural or easy is to stop and focus on why you want the house and what benefits it will bring to you and your family or why you want to save that money. Those are the things that will keep us motivated and encourage us to get back up even after several falls. That will be the fuel that keeps us pushing forward.
This year whether it is your first time writing out your goals or if you are doing an annual update make sure that for each goal or resolution that you make you write down your intentions. Then if you utilize reminders like photos or sticky notes make sure that those reflect your intentions in addition to the primary goal. Remind yourself of all the great things that achieving the goal will bring you and why you are willing to work hard, sacrifice, and to not give up when the going gets tough.
In goal setting we must remember that the basics are what work and that we have a natural tendency to get distracted, frustrated, and to justify not doing the work it takes to get us to our goal. We must understand this and implement strategies that help us to prevent that from happening. Write down the goals, add the intentions, set realistic times, share them, set reminders where you can see them, and review them often.
I hope this year brings each of you happiness, joy, success, and closer to all of your goals and dreams.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Prepare For The New Year
As Christmas fast approaches and the winter prepares to get underway I cannot help thinking about the relevance that this time of the year has to the beginning of the next. This is a time for reflection on the year past and preparation for the year to come. It is a time to relax, enjoy family and friends, while recharging our batteries for the Ney Year.
During this holiday season I encourage you to set down your fear, anxiety, and your pain if for even one day. Look around you, not at what you do not have or did not accomplish but look at what you do have and what you did accomplish over the years. Notice even the simplest things and write them down to remind yourself later. These are the foundation on which you can build your plans for the New Year.
Now begin to think about your resolutions and lay out your goals for the New Year. Write them down as well and write down one or two Ideas for how you will get there. Dream about success and happiness and then lay down the tracks that will get move you in that direction. However always remember that life is not about the destination but about the journey. That’s where the true rewards are discovered and where the greatest memories are built. The building blocks of life are dedication, persistence, consistency, and hard work. This applies to all areas in life including relationships and work. Do these things diligently and rewards will follow. That does not mean that there will not be hardship and failure it simply means that if you are diligent in their application you will continue to grow and reach new heights. It means that if you set your personal bar and goals high enough even if you fall short you will be amazed at where you end up.
Merry Christmas and a very happy and successful New Year to you!
During this holiday season I encourage you to set down your fear, anxiety, and your pain if for even one day. Look around you, not at what you do not have or did not accomplish but look at what you do have and what you did accomplish over the years. Notice even the simplest things and write them down to remind yourself later. These are the foundation on which you can build your plans for the New Year.
Now begin to think about your resolutions and lay out your goals for the New Year. Write them down as well and write down one or two Ideas for how you will get there. Dream about success and happiness and then lay down the tracks that will get move you in that direction. However always remember that life is not about the destination but about the journey. That’s where the true rewards are discovered and where the greatest memories are built. The building blocks of life are dedication, persistence, consistency, and hard work. This applies to all areas in life including relationships and work. Do these things diligently and rewards will follow. That does not mean that there will not be hardship and failure it simply means that if you are diligent in their application you will continue to grow and reach new heights. It means that if you set your personal bar and goals high enough even if you fall short you will be amazed at where you end up.
Merry Christmas and a very happy and successful New Year to you!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Action is the key
As we look at the talents and skills of a sales person one of the key skills is the ability to talk or communicate effectively in creative and enthusiastic ways to paint a picture that creates the desire to own our product. This skill is a crucial part of any sales presentation. This also flows over into other areas of our day and can be just as destructive as it can be helpful. Sales people love to talk. They love to present ideas, to solve problems, to plan for success. Where we often fail is in taking action on these ideas.
For example I have seen countless sales people struggling to reach their goals and when asked about their activity they go on about their new plan to streamline their selling process or their new tools that will help them sell once implemented. Inevitable we come to the pesky question "tell me about your daily selling activities". "How many sales presentations are you giving? How many calls are you making? This is where we can very often quickly identify a primary missing element "action".
Sales people will begin to paint the picture of when these new plans and tools kick in how wonderful everything will be. How many new sales will come in and how deep their pipeline will run. When I hear this I always think of a line from a sales video I watched a long time ago where the trainer said "when your numbers are down set down whatever you are doing and pick up the phone nothing solves sales issues like presenting your product or service to more people."
This is so true and I am sure all of us can relate to a list of things that we fully intend on doing Monday morning that remains virtually untouched on Friday because we were distracted by other tasks that we truly felt were important at the time. Later as we look at our list we realize that we focused on the wrong Items, burned through the week, and need to push our list off to the next week. Then the cycle begins again.
Build your plan during non-sales time, write it down, organize your day, and then when the click strikes the beginning hour for selling, take action, start dialing the phone or knocking on doors. Don't wait until the time is right. Don't send those email first, just start calling on prospects. There is no substitution for old fashioned action. Track your activities, adjust where necessary and possible, but most of all call on prospects. The best goal to set is how many prospects you will call on this week or this month. The old saying will always hold true "the more people you present to the more people you will sell".
Also remember this as sales people one way or another we get paid to sell and to produce revenue so anytime we are not presenting our product to a potential client we are unemployed!
For example I have seen countless sales people struggling to reach their goals and when asked about their activity they go on about their new plan to streamline their selling process or their new tools that will help them sell once implemented. Inevitable we come to the pesky question "tell me about your daily selling activities". "How many sales presentations are you giving? How many calls are you making? This is where we can very often quickly identify a primary missing element "action".
Sales people will begin to paint the picture of when these new plans and tools kick in how wonderful everything will be. How many new sales will come in and how deep their pipeline will run. When I hear this I always think of a line from a sales video I watched a long time ago where the trainer said "when your numbers are down set down whatever you are doing and pick up the phone nothing solves sales issues like presenting your product or service to more people."
This is so true and I am sure all of us can relate to a list of things that we fully intend on doing Monday morning that remains virtually untouched on Friday because we were distracted by other tasks that we truly felt were important at the time. Later as we look at our list we realize that we focused on the wrong Items, burned through the week, and need to push our list off to the next week. Then the cycle begins again.
Build your plan during non-sales time, write it down, organize your day, and then when the click strikes the beginning hour for selling, take action, start dialing the phone or knocking on doors. Don't wait until the time is right. Don't send those email first, just start calling on prospects. There is no substitution for old fashioned action. Track your activities, adjust where necessary and possible, but most of all call on prospects. The best goal to set is how many prospects you will call on this week or this month. The old saying will always hold true "the more people you present to the more people you will sell".
Also remember this as sales people one way or another we get paid to sell and to produce revenue so anytime we are not presenting our product to a potential client we are unemployed!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Focus on the basics
AsI fly home from Indianapolis I am reminded of the importance of staying focused on the basic activities that make us successful. This applies to both our personal lives and our business lives equally.
In both it is easy to get caught up in the rush of daily activities and neglect the core things that drive or will drive our success. When we do this we lose momentum and sabotage our long term success.
The truly happy and successful people I see tend to Identify and stick to the basic principles day in and day out keeping them consistent and reducing their stress. This does not mean that they will not experience fluctuation however it will eliminate how dramatic those fluctuations are.
For example consistent sales people know that Having and knowing their goals is critical to their long term success. Tracking each activity you do and the results shows you where you have been and where you are going. Organizing your day to maximize selling time is critical. Verbally speaking with a new potential clients each day feeds their pipelines and taking time for follow up helps them get to and even past their goals. These are just a few of the basic ingredients to sales success that must be managed and done to ensure consistent success.
Identify your core activities in your business, organize your day to include each one, and then manage your days well so that you never stray far from those basics. keep focused on your goals and manage your activities well and success will follow.
In both it is easy to get caught up in the rush of daily activities and neglect the core things that drive or will drive our success. When we do this we lose momentum and sabotage our long term success.
The truly happy and successful people I see tend to Identify and stick to the basic principles day in and day out keeping them consistent and reducing their stress. This does not mean that they will not experience fluctuation however it will eliminate how dramatic those fluctuations are.
For example consistent sales people know that Having and knowing their goals is critical to their long term success. Tracking each activity you do and the results shows you where you have been and where you are going. Organizing your day to maximize selling time is critical. Verbally speaking with a new potential clients each day feeds their pipelines and taking time for follow up helps them get to and even past their goals. These are just a few of the basic ingredients to sales success that must be managed and done to ensure consistent success.
Identify your core activities in your business, organize your day to include each one, and then manage your days well so that you never stray far from those basics. keep focused on your goals and manage your activities well and success will follow.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Keep focus on the important things!
It has been too long since my last blog, isn’t it amazing how quickly time passes. Since I began my new journey (career wise) time seems to have taken off at an even faster pace. These are the times when it is important to remember the core things that make us successful. Regardless of our career paths our belief in ourselves, our company, and our product is what fuels our passion and excitement, which in turn has a positive effect on those around us whether it is our clients or our coworkers.
To keep these elements alive we must remember not to set down some of the core tools to achieving success. Tools like starting each day reading positive books, quotes, or listening to positive messages via the internet or on CD’s. Our goals are often the first thing we lose focus on so it is important to review them daily. Self evaluation is critical to ensure that we are not straying from the path that will lead us to our intended destination. Utilizing the tools and resources available to us at every opportunity is very important. We must also keep our ears and our minds open to new ideas that may enhance our attitudes or performance each day.
There are many things that help us to ensure that we are moving forward and upward in our path to success. The most important thing is to ensure that we have a destination chosen, a path laid out that will get us there, that we keep focused on that path, and ensure that we take action toward that goal. It is also important that long the way stay positive and have fun. So set your goal, press the accelerator down and enjoy the ride.
To keep these elements alive we must remember not to set down some of the core tools to achieving success. Tools like starting each day reading positive books, quotes, or listening to positive messages via the internet or on CD’s. Our goals are often the first thing we lose focus on so it is important to review them daily. Self evaluation is critical to ensure that we are not straying from the path that will lead us to our intended destination. Utilizing the tools and resources available to us at every opportunity is very important. We must also keep our ears and our minds open to new ideas that may enhance our attitudes or performance each day.
There are many things that help us to ensure that we are moving forward and upward in our path to success. The most important thing is to ensure that we have a destination chosen, a path laid out that will get us there, that we keep focused on that path, and ensure that we take action toward that goal. It is also important that long the way stay positive and have fun. So set your goal, press the accelerator down and enjoy the ride.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Be careful other people are watching
In our personal lives as well as our business lives it is important that we always keep in mind the fact that someone is watching. Our attitudes and our actions are under inspection continuously by those around us whether we know it or not.
Here is an example, I was on a business trip in Georgia and had taken a lunch break back at my hotel. As I ate I stood in the window of my fifth floor room and looked out over a sea of cars that filled the parking lot. Below me a young man was walking along behind the row of cars against the building and as he passed mine he stopped, walked up to it and wrote something on in the dust that covered my window.
After I had raced across the room to get the keys and set off the alarm to give him a start something dawned on me. What are the odds that I would be in my room eating lunch looking out the window at the exact time that this person would walk by and choose my car out of hundreds to write on?
So often we are completely wrapped up in our own issues or activities and we forget that the people around us are watching. Maybe they are fellow employees and they see or hear us constantly complaining or badmouthing others. How does that affect their respect for us, the way that they interact with us, or their willingness to go the extra mile for us when needed. How about a business owner that treats people poorly outside his business and has forgotten that all of the people that witness his actions or attitude are potential customers and will tell on average three others about what they saw. Or the police officers who get together every Friday afternoon for a few beers and get obnoxious and boisterous, how does that effect the public's perception of our law enforcement officers.
If we want people to treat us with respect or to look at us as professionals then it is important that we monitor our words and deeds to ensure that we live up to that. Often times if we took a close and very honest look at our own attitudes and actions we have not earned the right to be treated with such high regard. I can think of many examples in both my personal life and business life where there was animosity about something and I was convinced I was right. However when I stepped back and took an honest look at how I was behaving, what I was saying, or how I was saying it I was hit with the hard realization that I was either part of or the entire problem and I had been making it worse by blaming others.
So as you move thorough your days and weeks keep this in mind. Whether we like it or not people observe our actions and attitude and then judge us by them so be careful you never know whose watching.
Here is an example, I was on a business trip in Georgia and had taken a lunch break back at my hotel. As I ate I stood in the window of my fifth floor room and looked out over a sea of cars that filled the parking lot. Below me a young man was walking along behind the row of cars against the building and as he passed mine he stopped, walked up to it and wrote something on in the dust that covered my window.
After I had raced across the room to get the keys and set off the alarm to give him a start something dawned on me. What are the odds that I would be in my room eating lunch looking out the window at the exact time that this person would walk by and choose my car out of hundreds to write on?
So often we are completely wrapped up in our own issues or activities and we forget that the people around us are watching. Maybe they are fellow employees and they see or hear us constantly complaining or badmouthing others. How does that affect their respect for us, the way that they interact with us, or their willingness to go the extra mile for us when needed. How about a business owner that treats people poorly outside his business and has forgotten that all of the people that witness his actions or attitude are potential customers and will tell on average three others about what they saw. Or the police officers who get together every Friday afternoon for a few beers and get obnoxious and boisterous, how does that effect the public's perception of our law enforcement officers.
If we want people to treat us with respect or to look at us as professionals then it is important that we monitor our words and deeds to ensure that we live up to that. Often times if we took a close and very honest look at our own attitudes and actions we have not earned the right to be treated with such high regard. I can think of many examples in both my personal life and business life where there was animosity about something and I was convinced I was right. However when I stepped back and took an honest look at how I was behaving, what I was saying, or how I was saying it I was hit with the hard realization that I was either part of or the entire problem and I had been making it worse by blaming others.
So as you move thorough your days and weeks keep this in mind. Whether we like it or not people observe our actions and attitude and then judge us by them so be careful you never know whose watching.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Focus on one goal and build on success
The New Year is upon us and I am sure that you have each set your goals for this year. If not then I encourage you to ask yourself why. If it is common knowledge that people who set, write down, and plan out goals are more successful and make more money then why wouldn’t you do it. Here is great exercise that I am doing that may help about choosing and focusing on one goal. This exercise was taken from the video by Brian Tracy: If You Could Achieve One Goal in 24 Hours
- Write ten goals you want to accomplish in the next 12 months
- Ask yourself if you could only accomplish one goal on this list and I could accomplish this goal within 24 hours, which one goal would have the greatest positive impact on your life?
- Circle that goal, set a deadline for that goal
- Make a list of everything that you can do to achieve that goal
- Begin working on the goal and be sure to do something every day
Sometimes we can overwhelm ourselves with the laundry list of things that we want to accomplish. With this exercise we are able to focus on one thing that will have an impact on our lives and see measurable results. That in turn will help motivate us to move forward on other goals because there is no better motivator than success.
- Write ten goals you want to accomplish in the next 12 months
- Ask yourself if you could only accomplish one goal on this list and I could accomplish this goal within 24 hours, which one goal would have the greatest positive impact on your life?
- Circle that goal, set a deadline for that goal
- Make a list of everything that you can do to achieve that goal
- Begin working on the goal and be sure to do something every day
Sometimes we can overwhelm ourselves with the laundry list of things that we want to accomplish. With this exercise we are able to focus on one thing that will have an impact on our lives and see measurable results. That in turn will help motivate us to move forward on other goals because there is no better motivator than success.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Mirror
It has always intrigued me how people will do or say almost anything to avoid the facts and find justification for their action or even their lack of action. One of the hardest things for many people to do is to look into the mirror and recognize their own responsibility in any given situation. Often we look around us to find some environmental issue or another person to blame which of course is much easier because it does not require us to feel bad or make any changes. We can justify anything simply by changing the way we look at it. People are accustomed to hearing me say that “life is all perspective” it is simply how you look at it and that rarely fails to be true.
How many times has something happened and without hesitation you had one or two reasons (excuses) ready for why it happened. How many times have you set a resolution, goal, or simply said that you were going to do something and failed. Now ask yourself this question how many times did those reasons involve you being at fault. If it was rare, if there always seems to be other influences or people that cause these things then we have to assume one of two things. Either you are an amazing person who always says and does the right thing or you are reluctant to analyze your own impact on those situations and act on what you find.
For example; you have a good friend that you spend a lot of time with and who means a lot to you. You enjoy the fact that you can always share things with this person and are secure in their confidentiality. This person is not only always there for you but also seems to go the extra mile for you on a pretty regular basis. They are kind and considerate and often will put your wants or need in front of their own. Suddenly this person starts seeming distant, stops calling you, and stops inviting you to do things. You get angry and confront this person which makes them angry. They point out some of your faults during the heated debate and you go your separate ways. Has this ever happened to you? Maybe not exactly like that but at some level with friends, family, or even coworkers? It is easy to point the finger of blame at this person and trust me if you think hard enough you will probably come up with enough things to have them banned from the community. However before you make that call ask yourself these questions, am I a giver or a taker in this relationship? Do I invest my time and actions to help this person, make this person feel better, or ensure that this person is getting what they want, or am I always finding things they can do for me? Did I say or do something that I should not have? Did I not say or do something that I should have? Did I overreact to the situation? Analyze these things from their perspective not yours and if you say you don’t know their perspective than you already have your answer go apologize!
This same principle applies to our personal and business goals as well. If we set a goal to lose ten pounds and fail is it really because we didn’t have a diet partner, no place to exercise, or can't afford healthy food. Or was it simply because we ate the wrong foods when we went out, refused make time for exercise, and always found a birthday, holiday, or random celebration which required eating and drinking to much of the wrong things. If you are in sales and your numbers are down was it entirely due to the economy, your region, your tools, the lack of tools, your manager, or you coworkers or was it that you did not set clear written goals, train, organize your time, prepare for selling, get in front of prospects enough, and then use what you had learned to close the deal?
Take the first step, look into the mirror, be honest and tell yourself what you see. Then come up with ways to improve in the areas that need it, and most importantly take action now. Do not procrastinate as that is a certain recipe for failure.
How many times has something happened and without hesitation you had one or two reasons (excuses) ready for why it happened. How many times have you set a resolution, goal, or simply said that you were going to do something and failed. Now ask yourself this question how many times did those reasons involve you being at fault. If it was rare, if there always seems to be other influences or people that cause these things then we have to assume one of two things. Either you are an amazing person who always says and does the right thing or you are reluctant to analyze your own impact on those situations and act on what you find.
For example; you have a good friend that you spend a lot of time with and who means a lot to you. You enjoy the fact that you can always share things with this person and are secure in their confidentiality. This person is not only always there for you but also seems to go the extra mile for you on a pretty regular basis. They are kind and considerate and often will put your wants or need in front of their own. Suddenly this person starts seeming distant, stops calling you, and stops inviting you to do things. You get angry and confront this person which makes them angry. They point out some of your faults during the heated debate and you go your separate ways. Has this ever happened to you? Maybe not exactly like that but at some level with friends, family, or even coworkers? It is easy to point the finger of blame at this person and trust me if you think hard enough you will probably come up with enough things to have them banned from the community. However before you make that call ask yourself these questions, am I a giver or a taker in this relationship? Do I invest my time and actions to help this person, make this person feel better, or ensure that this person is getting what they want, or am I always finding things they can do for me? Did I say or do something that I should not have? Did I not say or do something that I should have? Did I overreact to the situation? Analyze these things from their perspective not yours and if you say you don’t know their perspective than you already have your answer go apologize!
This same principle applies to our personal and business goals as well. If we set a goal to lose ten pounds and fail is it really because we didn’t have a diet partner, no place to exercise, or can't afford healthy food. Or was it simply because we ate the wrong foods when we went out, refused make time for exercise, and always found a birthday, holiday, or random celebration which required eating and drinking to much of the wrong things. If you are in sales and your numbers are down was it entirely due to the economy, your region, your tools, the lack of tools, your manager, or you coworkers or was it that you did not set clear written goals, train, organize your time, prepare for selling, get in front of prospects enough, and then use what you had learned to close the deal?
Take the first step, look into the mirror, be honest and tell yourself what you see. Then come up with ways to improve in the areas that need it, and most importantly take action now. Do not procrastinate as that is a certain recipe for failure.
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