When it comes to building your business, it is imperative that you keep the end goal and ideal results in mind at ALL times. In fact, setting goals and determining to stick to them is one step that everyone should take, regardless of what type of business you are in. Keeping the end goal in mind through the day-to-day grind is going to help keep you focused on where you want to be in the future.
It might seem surprising, but not many people have mastered the art of keeping the ‘end goal’ in mind on a day-to-day basis. One statistic said that only 3% of people actually set meaningful goals for themselves and follow them at all! How can you hope to keep the end goal in mind if you don’t set goals for yourself?
So here are four tips for always keeping this goal in mind. Following them will help you to remember why you are doing what you are doing in the first place, which can help to make your days easier and help your dreams to seem less far away.
Tip #1-Write Down Your Goals
Writing down your goals is going to make a huge difference for you, both as an individual and also as a professional. After all, how can you hope to focus on your future if you don’t have it mapped out? You need to remember why you are doing what you are doing, and getting your goals down on paper can help in this regard.
When writing down your goals for the future, also consider writing down your reasons for wanting to accomplish these goals. Are you doing it for you? Do you want your family to have a better life? Do you want your children to have a better education? Do you want to live a more luxurious lifestyle? Do you want to make a difference in people’s lives? Do you want to be even more philanthropic? How will you feel once you have achieved each goal? These are all reasons that you might have for bettering yourself, and keeping sight of these dreams can give you more of a reason to keep going on days that make you want to give up.
“If you don’t know where you are going, you might end up someplace else.”
- Yogi Berra
Why goal setting needs to be a priority in your life.
· Top producers have the same finite hours at work as low and mid-level producers, but use time differently/better.
· High performers spend twice the amount of time developing marketing plans, qualifying leads, and becoming known to prospects/clients.
· 80% of business owners producing $1 million or more have written plans versus 7% making $75,000 or less. Where do you want to be?
· Top producers think through and document who they want to serve and how to reach those prospects and clients. They plan, then act – implement - execute.
Mark McCormack provides us some statistical insight on "What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School".
Harvard MBA grads: "Have you set clear, written goals for your future and plans to accomplish them?"
· 3% of graduates had written goals and plans
· 13% have goals, but not in writing
· 84% had no specific goals
Ten years later, those with written goals demonstrated astonishing results.
· 13% who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84% who had no goals.
· The 3% who had clear, written goals were earning, on average, 10 times as much as the other 97% put together.
In spite of such success, most people don't have clear, measurable, time-bounded written goals they work toward. Simple, yet few do it.
Tip #2-Remember That the End Goal Is More Important Than Your Current Difficulties
A lot of people are tempted to give up when they face difficulties during the day-to-day part of running a business. Maybe your clients are unpleasant, or maybe you are facing money problems? Maybe you feel like nobody appreciates you, or maybe you feel like you don’t have enough help, technical skills, or marketing expertise to get everything done?
If your life is simply miserable and you don’t even want to follow your plans anymore, then you should probably re-evaluate your long-term goals… but don’t give up just because you have tough days. If you are truly following goals that are important to you, then you have to remember that you are going where you want to go, even though it might take some time and a few sacrifices to see your dream realized. When you find yourself having a bad day, look at your goals and remember why you are doing what you are doing. A lot of people give up when they face difficulty because the only goal they have is to get paid on Friday. Having long-term goals actually puts you ahead of the game, so remember this advantage and utilize it as regularly as needed.
You should always have a goal for every activity you do. You invest your valuable time into calls for business and various meetings so don’t waste that time. For every activity (investment of your valuable time), set a goal for what you would like to have happen as a result. Many of my clients who have applied this thinking have been pleasantly surprised at how much more they achieve than they did before when they didn’t have specific goals for every activity where they were investing their valuable time. Try this for yourself and experience even better results.
Tip #3-Remember That Every Day Is A Stepping Stone
While it might seem difficult to spend your days doing things that you only want to accomplish to arrive at your end goal, you have to keep in mind that this is the nature of every journey. The finish line lies at the end of your efforts, but you have to put in the work to get there. Remember this when you are on the phone with an angry client, when you are dealing with disgruntled employees, when you are putting a lot of pressure on yourself, or when you are having an especially tough week. Remember that all of it is a stepping stone, and that every day is bringing you closer to where you ultimately want to be. Nobody said it was going to be easy or more people would do it. When you measure your progress against your goals, you know you are moving in the ‘right’ direction to having the kind of business and life you want and deserve.
Tip #4-Be Who You Want To Be
Even though it might take you a few years to achieve some goals you set, you don’t have to let your current circumstances define you. If your goal is to be a successful business person, then adopt that mindset before you even accomplish it! If your goal is to be a professional performer, then adopt that mindset now… even if your dream has not yet been fully realized. By visualizing yourself and thinking of yourself in that light, you will be more likely to stick to your plan and to live out each day with the end goal in mind.
Visualization is more than just daydreaming. It's a scientifically proven technique that can help you train your brain to work for you, not against you. Studies show visualization can improve motivation, coordination, and concentration, while reducing fear and anxiety. And now, you can access my complimentary guidebook that will help you harness the power of visualization and create the business and life you truly want.
Download my Power of Visualization Guidebook today and start transforming your mindset and your business. With exercises and thought-provoking insights, this Guide will help you unlock your full potential and achieve the success you deserve. Don't wait – start visualizing and enjoying your ideal business and ideal life today!
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What Can I Do Now?
Right now, begin every day by looking at your goals and thinking about the emotional and financial payoff you will get when you achieve them. Do this to remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing. When tough times arise, don’t look at the trouble they are causing you now… look at where you will be when you continue to persist. Visualize the end result of what you want to have happen and make it a reality in your life.
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