This is the time of year that a lot of people start talking about setting goals. In reality, goal-setting and goal evaluation should be an ongoing process, a process that takes place all year long. But it is true that the end of one year and the beginning of another offers a good opportunity for salespeople to take stock, evaluate what has just happened over the past twelve months, and start planning for what needs to happen next. There’s more to goal-setting than just accepting quotas!
Creating powerful goals and workable plans to achieve them is an important step in your personal formula for success. Here is a great end-of-year exercise that can help you to create a successful 2014.
Open a document in your word processor. Create eight blank pages. (You can do this the old fashioned way and write on actual sheets of paper if you prefer.) Across the top of each page, write one of the following words: Personal, Health, Social, Spiritual, Financial, Learning, Career, and Family. On each sheet, create a list of brief bullet items that reflect what you want to accomplish in that area in the coming year. Spend some time on this “brainstorming” phase, and identify everything that’s truly important to you.
Then revise your eight lists of goals so that they are in in order of importance. Once you are done prioritizing your goals in each of these areas, print and post the sheets prominently and consider each and every one of your goals. Ask yourself the following questions:
-How committed am I to achieving this goal?
-What will achieving this goal do for me as a person?
-What behaviors will I have to change to accomplish this goal?
-Who would be an appropriate accountability partner for me on this goal?
-What is the next step I should take to achieve this goal?
-How will I celebrate when I achieve this goal?
If you are already someone who is used to setting and achieving written goals, you can use this exercise to establish more elaborate, more aggressive goals — and achieve at even greater heights. If you’re just getting started, you may want to focus on one modest “stretch” goal in each of the eight areas. Whatever you do, pick something that will force you to stretch your life beyond your current comfort zone.
One written goal should stand out from all the rest as your primary personal goal. Find it. Commit to working on this one goal for the next twenty-one days.
At about the fourteen-day mark, you’ll come to a crossroads: Your mind will start throwing out all kinds of persuasive reasons for you to stop pursuing this goal, and you’ll begin to wonder whether what you have selected is too difficult. You’ll start hearing skeptical voices telling you that you should pick something else (or nothing at all) to strive for.
If you can make it past that negative self-talk, you will assume personal control of your own future. (Special thanks to Bill Bartlett, who shared this exercise with me.)
Here’s to a great 2014!
“You can be a part of your plan, or a part of someone else’s.” – David Sandler
PS: Before 2013 Slips Away…Nominate Your Sandler Superstar!
If you are a Sandler client, this is your opportunity to recognize the entrepreneurial and strategic contributions of a Sandler Sales Advisor who has had a positive impact on you and your business in 2013.
Right now is the time to nominate your personal Sandler Superstar to receive a LIVING THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS award. Whether your Sandler Superstar’s contribution arose through improvements in networking, marketing, prospecting, sales presentations, internal/external sales meetings, personal testimonials, referral generation, or any other area of your sales operation, we want to hear about it. All entries will be reviewed by committee; all will be recognized at the upcoming 2014 Sandler Client Summit, in Orlando, FL, on March 13 – 14, 2014. The top-tier finalists will have an opportunity to share their stories in person at the Summit.
Top honors to be awarded are:
-Rookie of the Year
-Sales Professional of the Year
-Sales Manager of the Year
-Overall Sandler Professional of the Year
To nominate your Sandler Superstar…click here.
