New Year’s resolutions: They’re easy to set, and they’re even easier to forget. Take some time now to be strategic about your goals for the new year so you can make the right resolution and put yourself in a position to succeed.
1. Be Focused
We all have plenty of things we’d like to work on. Whether doubling or tripling your GCI, a fitness goal or something related to your relationships with your friends and family, there are plenty of areas in which we can improve. Successful goal-setters know that if you try to do too many things at once, the odds are good you won’t meet any of your goals. Choose one goal that’s important to you and worth your effort. Focusing your limited time and energy on just one goal improves the odds that you will dedicate the effort needed to achieve it.
2. Be Realistic
While you may want to double your results in 2017, that might not be the most realistic target to set. Setting lofty goals is good, but setting them too high can make you discouraged if you fall off track. A goal that is ambitious but reasonable is the best motivational tool.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. To determine a realistic goal, talk it out with others who have expertise in the area or do research on your own. If you know that other agents who have a similar experience level as you do are pulling in 15 percent more in annual revenues, set a 15 percent increase as your target. You’ll know it’s feasible, even if you fall behind.
If you find it difficult to think about what your goal should be, try the “stop, start, keep” methodย which can simplify things somewhat.
3. Make It Measurable
A goal that’s too abstract to track is a goal you can easily ignore. If your goal is to “get in better shape,” how do you know when you have achieved it? Without a clear, measurable goal, you run the risk of defining it down when the going gets tough or forgetting about it entirely. Change “get in better shape” to “run a 5K in 35 minutes” or “lose 15 pounds.” You will be able to track your progress easily and you’ll know when you’ve hit your goal.
4. Hold Yourself Accountable
Self-motivation is a great thing, but it’s not the only thing. During rough patches, it’s easy to let more ambitious goals slide. If you have added accountability mechanisms in from the beginning, however, you have a huge leg up (78 percent, in fact!). For a fitness goal, you could find a partner who’s also trying to get in shape and arrange to work out together or share your results weekly. For a professional goal, you can work it into your office’s operating plans or have a manager or peer track your progress. If you’re working for yourself, a partner or friend can be a great asset. Tell them that you are working toward a goal that’s important to you and you’d like them to check in with you periodically about it. Just knowing that someone else is keeping an eye on you can keep you motivated.
5. Share Your Goal With Us!
To help you with your journey, why not hold yourself accountable by sharing your goal with us? Let us know what your New Year’s resolution or goal is in the form below. We’ll publish some of our favourites in our upcoming magazine.
What are you waiting for? Click the button below to tell us your goals.
