One year during the holidays, two old friends decided to see whether or not they could achieve annual sales goals. They met up the next year on New Year’s Eve to see how they had done.
The first man said proudly, “My goal was to make $25,000 in sales, and I did it!”
His friend sighed. “You’ve got me beat. My goal was to make a million dollars in sales, and I only made half that.”
Who really won the contest?
Are Your Goals Too Easy?
Most people set goals that are too easy. Afraid of failing, they pick something that they know they can easily attain. There really isn’t any pleasure, though, in achieving a task that was not challenging to start with. It’s one more thing you can check off your “to do” list, but that’s about it.
Give Yourself a Chance to Spread Your Wings
Next time you’re setting a goal, give yourself a chance to show what you’re really made of. Pick something you know you can do easily, and double it. You may even want to triple it. For instance, instead of cold-calling two prospects every morning, call four, or six. Instead of attending three networking events a month, attend six, or nine.
Realistic, But Tough
You don’t want to set a goal that no one could possibly achieve, but you do want to set a goal that is difficult to achieve. If you meet your goal, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you worked hard and completed something worthwhile. Even if you fail, you’ll probably still have done more than you ever would have believed possible.
What is a S.M.A.R.T. Goal?
“SMART” is an acronym that can help you when you’re goal setting. It stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-limited.
Setting achievable goals are especially important. Achievable means that you and you alone are responsible for the outcome of your goal. For instance, a goal to close ten sales before lunch isn’t achievable because no matter how persuasive you are, your prospects might choose not to buy. A goal to make ten sales calls before lunch is achievable, because only you can dictate the outcome.
It’s Time to Set Some Goals
Before you click away from this page, think about three things you want to accomplish today. They should be realistic, but they should also demand your maximum effort. What do you want to say you’ve achieved at the end of the day?
