Goal Setting

Are your goals set solely for your business or do you make personal targets too?

For 2015 I have set 3 goals, 2 for personal attainment and 1 for the business. What do all 3 goals have in common? I will need support from the people around me to achieve them!

I am an ‘old school sales person’ so I know the value of goal setting, breaking them down into actions and mapping out how I will achieve each step along the way to reaching each goal. But until recently I didn’t quite appreciate how much I rely on everyone around me to enable this success. Just as well I have a fantastic amount of support from my husband, friends, business team and a trio of coaches.

Of course I need to provide the sheer will power, grit and determination, I will need to make the massive effort to achieve each goal. Having support and encouragement doesn’t mean you won’t need to put the effort in.

At The Last Hurdle we often talk about goals, plans, targets etc. It can be easy to forget that not everyone is as used to working this way. Here are a few tips to help your goal setting; plan and achieve your own targets:

What is your goal?

Where do you want to get to? Sounds silly but without a clear idea of what you want to achieve, how can you possibly get there? Make sure the goal is important to you, is actually what you want to achieve rather than what you feel others want you to do. You will have much more drive is it is important to YOU.

Goals must be believable. If you don’t believe you can achieve a goal, you won’t pay the price for it. Quote from Tom Hopkins

You’ve Gotta Have a Plan Stan

Simply just wanting to achieve something, is often not enough to make it so. Even the simplest of goals require planning! It doesn’t have to be a multi-faceted diagram with endless possibilities, simple is best. The simplest way we have found to plan out goal success: grab a sheet of paper, write your goal at the top of the page and your current situation at the bottom of the page. Now fill in the steps in between with each step you will need to take to reach the top. As you progress through each stage you may find yourself adding other steps that you need to complete – life does like to throw challenges our way.

Give Yourself Realistic Timescales

Add timescales to your plan, open ended goals without timescales have no sense of urgency, no impetuous… give yourself realistic timescales (don’t let anyone else tell you what is realistic) to achieve each step of your plan. If you encounter a curve ball, then adjust your plan.

A goal is a dream with a deadline. Quote from Napoleon Hill

Make sure you have the right tools

The best carpenter in the world cannot build a table without the right tools. Resources, make sure you have all you need. Whether that’s your team and their skill sets, physical tools like a CRM, adequate budget, encouragement from those around you etc. Make the list and make sure you have everything you need to succeed.

Document your goal

Have a visual reminder of what you are trying to achieve. In the hurley burley of everyday life we can all to easily forget what we are working towards. Focusing on the steps in the plan can mean you lose sight of the end goal. A visual representation will remind you of what the end goal is, helping to keep you focused.

Motivation

Comes in many forms, what motivates you? The success of achieving each step? Money? Holiday? Something as simple as a family dinner out? Plan your rewards too! These will help to keep you motivated when it gets tough (and it will, otherwise you would have already achieved this target wouldn’t you?)

People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily. Quote from Zig Ziglar

Don’t get discouraged, don’t give up, don’t allow yourself excuses.

Be realistic, don’t put yourself and those around you under too much pressure, don’t beat yourself up – self flagellation is not attractive. In other words, put up, shut up and get on with it! How much do you want to achieve this goal?

Celebrate each Win

It is important to celebrate the wins, we have the Snoopy Dance to celebrate our wins! Each small achievement towards your goal needs the proverbial pat on the back. If you have a team supporting you, then they too need to be celebrating the wins. Allow everyone to share in your highs as well as the lows!

Before setting your goal ask yourself this: Whats the worst that can happen? You try really hard and don’t reach your goal? Look how far you did get! One thing I can guarantee you: If you do not try – you will not succeed. Just like dogs, goal setting is for life – not just for Christmas/New Year!