How many times have you set a goal for yourself and it fizzled? A fitness goal. Weight loss. Business. Networking. Financial. New job. That vacation destination you may never see, etc. etc.
Sometimes achieving a goal comes easy, which could mean that the goal wasn't BIG enough. But it's rare that we get off so easy when it comes to our goals. Often the goals are plenty BIG but they simply don't get accomplished.
Especially when we're off and running in the New Year!
Goals tend to fall in one of 8 areas of our lives - Career, Financial, Health, Family, Self-Improvement, Spiritual, Adventure, and Business.
Hope you set some BIG goals! But are they the right ones? BIG enough? Bad enough? Important enough?
Most goals don't get accomplished. Here's why!
Lack of Passion
If there is no passion behind your goal, it will come to a screeching halt. It's difficult to define passion. But here goes! Passion is feeling so strongly about something that you're willing to move time in your schedule to do it. For example, I'm passionate about boxing. I'm willing to move time on my calendar just to get my training in. I invest time, energy, and money to improve. And maybe most importantly, I can't hide my excitement when I talk about it. (I'm talking about it now. Are you feeling me?) How passionate are you about your goal?
No Clear Outcome
The goal lacks specifics. For example, I'm going to be a more successful financial advisor is an admirable desire but difficult to measure. It's hard to determine a start and end point. How do you know you've hit your goal? I'm going generate at least 5 referrals a week is much more impactful and measurable. Of course, what are you going to do to generate those referrals?
Conflict with Self Image
I remember coaching an advisor that simply couldn't see herself sitting at a kitchen table selling life insurance. She thought it was a tough way to make a living. I told her outright that she wouldn't succeed in the business. Why she was hired - well, that's another story.
I was surprised she lasted two months. If you have a negative self-image related to your goal (I hate the gym), you will hate your goal.
No Action Steps
A goal is only as good as the action steps taken. I don't know much but I do know that if you don't focus on taking action steps every day or at least every week, you'll never reach your desired outcome. Ask an author how they go about writing their book. They don't just sit down one day and keep writing. Authors tend to write a little bit every day - usually at the same time every day. They get into a routine that becomes part of their day. Every big time goal requires chipping away every day. A boxer training for a fight. A runner preparing for a marathon. An advisor, broker, or producer looking to hit their numbers. What do you need to do every day?
Bad Timing
Life does get in the way from time to time. Juggling a busy work schedule, aging parents, activities with kids, family obligations, and whatever else is a challenge for everyone. In taking on new frontiers and daring to think BIG, the timing has to work. When will the timing be better? Will the timing ever be better? If not, that may be another issue. We all can't drop what we're doing to write a book or train for a marathon, but the key here is deciding when the right time is and putting it on the calendar. It's just that simple.
So, what is your goal?