Why We Don't Reach Our Goals - Accountability, Responsibility, Frustration

[Ben McCann]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ November 10, 2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why We Don't Reach Our Goals - Accountability, Responsibility, Frustration Magic wands, Aladdin's lamp, wishing wells, fairy godmothers, even Pixie Dust... all symbolize our ultimate desire to transform our dreams into reality. The fact is, most of us have big dreams, but sometimes the gap between our dreams and our reality is vast. We expect to be at a place where we don't worry about cash flow, but we do We expect to work and worry less - it hasn't happened We expect to have retirement in our sights, but it keeping moving further away We expected to be in a place where we were nearly debt free; but we aren't close If the gap between your dreams and reality is larger than it should be, look at how you are approaching your goals and see if you are making any of these fatal mistakes: You have no structure in place for creating what you want. Every year you probably make some goals or resolutions for your business and they begin to work for you. But, then there is a few set backs, lack of time and they slowly move to the back of your subconscious and then are forgotten. Then next year you start the same process all over again. These actions have no strategy, no accountability and no plan to correct. You're not setting goals, you're making wishes. Goals only work when you work on them consistently. Make sure that they are: specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and time-sensitive. For example, if you have a goal of growing revenue 10% in the next year, break it down into months, and measure to it monthly. At the end of the first month (you don't have to start in January to do this) did you hit the target? By breaking down a 10% revenue growth into months, you are focusing for 30 days on your revenue goal. YOU can even break it down into weeks - make it fun and rewarding. You're relying on incomplete, outdated procedures. So you have a handle on SMART goals; but you are still not getting where you want to be. What else can you do? You can super-charge them with imagination and emotion. Here are some examples: Aaron Prickel, a great sales trainer with Lushin/Sandler is brilliant at helping people become excellent at selling; in part because he has been coached in journaling (it helps him increase focus and empowers him). He turns the most challenging part of his job into a rewarding experience because he mentally prepares through daily journaling. Another friend has a vision board in her office. A vision board is a collage of images, pictures and affirmations of her dreams and desires. It can also be called a dream board, treasure map or vision map. Many people use this technique; they even have an ap for cell phones for this purpose. It is a powerful way to keep in from your minds eye, your goals. Search "vision board" in the web for additional information. You can also memorize, write poems or rhymes, draw them, visit the place you want to retire; get in your minds eye what your goals will be. This will crank up the emotional side of goal achievement. You haven't changed your environment. You can change your office around, paint, clear out the clutter, get focused so that each and every day you can start fresh perspective. Changing your routine will break the cycle that has created the comfortable setting of the same old stuff. If you are not meeting with your senior staff weekly, change that up and start expressing your goals with your key employees, helping them focused on what is important in the company. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity. You start first and others will follow. You're not accountable to anyone. The Weight Watchers organization has been very successful helping people loose weight for over 50 years. One of their secrets is to have each of their customers come to the office and do a "public weigh in". Do you think that having to publicly present themselves in front of their peers weekly has any impact on the results Weight Watchers gets? Yes, they have been taking that to the bank for years. Don't go it alone.Although small business owners are known for their independence, tenacity and their strong will; that strength can be a detriment. Our goal achievement increases 10X when we become accountable for our actions. It helps us keep focused on our goals and provides the encouragement when things are tough and the future is bleak. Get an accountability partner, hire a coach. Coaching does work. Over 40% of the fortune 500 companies employ coaches. Michael Jordan (probably the best basket ball player that I know of) had multiple coaches. Successful people want to become better, more efficient, and wealthier and they hire people that can help them attain reach higher levels. International Coach Federation in a recent survey stated that 70% of small business that hired coaches rated them as very valuable and would do it again. How coaching can help your company: 1) Focus - The greater the focus the greater the results. 2) Brainstorming - Energy and experience sold many problems. 3) Systems - Developing and implement systems improve the company's operations. 4) Accountability - Sliding or missed goals doesn't accelerate goal accomplishment. 5). Objectivity - The second biggest benefit an outsider brings to a company. You want things to change, but YOU'RE not willing to start Many times, we try to grow our business without growing ourselves. We think that our situation will be better when our customers or employees or business partners gets their act together. We are looking for the pixie dust when we should be looking in the mirror. If you want your business to change, it has to start with you. If you want your profit to grow, it has to start with you. If you want to be debt free or have a $1,000,000 in the bank, it has to start with you. Over the last 25 years, I have worked with hundreds of business owners giving them the tools they need to break through to the next level and attain their business and personal goals. If you are missing your dreams and want to change, it starts with you. Pick up the phone and call me for a 20 minute discussion about changing the trajectory of your business. It is free. The most it will cost you is 20 minutes. The most you can loose is $17.44 (the value of 20 minutes of a $120,000 employee). To Your Business Success Dan Lacy P.S. Expand your financial knowledge, order my book Cracking the Financial Code atwww.crackingthefinancialcode.com. Lee ordered my book a few months ago and last week I saw him and he said "I finally read your book". I said what did you learn, he said "now I really understand the balance sheet - something that I intellectually knew but didn't have any emotional connection with. Now I do. Thanks."

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