When Jan 1, 2021 dawns will your future success be decided by you and a set of actionable Goals or will your be wishing? How do you tell the difference? First wishes sound like: some day I will……. , I am planning on……., I can’t …….., The Economy…….., Most all New Years Resolutions……..,I plan to loose weight……, If Only ……. Wishes, excesses etc none will get you anywhere.

What does a Goal look like: Goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable and Time boxed, (SMART Goals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wou610uw-7s&feature=youtu.be) are in writing, and are Tracked. It seems that the last two are the most significant to success. For me anyway when I wrote them down using pen and paper they became more real. The tracking is truly the key to holding yourself accountable. Every Sunday I have an appointment with myself to review my progress on my goals. I get a certant satisfaction putting number & hatch marks next to that weeks box. As the months progress I get a visual reinforcement on my progress. Thats what works for me. Find out what works for you. Some folks do well when they plan a reward around hitting a milestone. If that works then great do that, I am a big fan of success.

The other area folks struggle with is motivation. Tracking helps keep us focused and having milestones helps but it takes more. It took me a long while to discover that I did not have a clear Why behind the What (My Goals). My friend Anthony Mayo said Have a strong Why and How is no problem. There is a story one of our mutual friends told about a strong why. One of his Sales Team members was absolutely driven, never took time off, got in early, left late worked obsessively. But he did not have a fancy car, cloths expensive toys etc. One day our friend got up the courage to ask him why. He said he has a genetic disability, which in a few years he won’t be able to work, so he is putting away everything he can to make sure his wife and kids are taken care of.

Success Guru Robbin Sharma said Live each day as your life in miniature. That inspires me to do some work every day on some part of my goals. Plan your Ideal Week, the week you will live if everything went the way you wanted it to. My Sales Coach Mike Henigman said that if you hit 70 – 80 % of your Ideal Week you are doing good. Don’t let your days & weeks get away from you…. plan them. My Ideal Week is below.

Tracking and accountability are two areas most folks shy away from. For me when I am hitting my goals I look forward to my Sunday tracking. When I am to hitting my goals I drag my feet, but still do my tracking. You can use a spreadsheet, an App, or paper. As for my I made my own tracking sheet and printed it out.

My why wan’t as strong as the disabled Salesman. I listed a clear and compelling why for each of my core goals. I read and review my goals every week. Some folks review their goals every day, or month or quarter. No matter, If you are achieving your goals that is. Understand your why and the how will be no problem.