The Green Sheet Online Edition

March 14, 2016 • Issue 16:03:01

Inspiration

Get moving toward those goals

Through the years, The Green Sheet has published numerous articles on goal setting, and we continue to revisit this topic periodically because it is vital to success in any arena, including payments. A recent search for the word "goals" on Amazon produced a list of 23,374 books; a comparable Google search led to a list of 628 million links. Indeed, authors, bloggers, journalists and consultants aplenty continue to weigh in on goals.

In Good Selling!: The Basics, Paul H. Green titled one section, "Have you written down your goals?" The title emphasizes that writing goals down leads to better results than just keeping a mental list or saying them aloud. Green also provided the following advice, adapted from the book:

1. Be specific. If your goals aren't clear, how will you know when you've reached them?
2. Set attainable goals. If you don't see a goal as reasonable, it's not a serious goal; it's a fantasy.
3. Use motivating language. For example, say, "In three months I will succeed in proving to XYZ Hotel that my service is the best for the company, and I will have a signed contract."
4. Keep goals visible: Place your goals where you will see them daily.
5. Set mini goals. Write these mini goals on your daily calendar. Use specific numbers and dates. Make certain your mini goals lead to your ultimate goal. For example, "I will call XYZ this Wednesday. I will find the decision maker by Friday. I will speak with the decision maker by Tuesday the 14th. I will meet with the decision maker by Friday the 24th."
6. Prioritize. If you know you need to cold-call before an upcoming meeting, make certain you complete the cold calls before moving on to other types of calls and tasks.
7. Monitor. If you don't achieve a goal, find out why and move on. Learn from your shortcomings, but don't dwell on them.
8. Share. Involve your friends and family in your sales efforts. They'll motivate you to keep on track and celebrate with you when you succeed.
9. Be positive. Focus on your accomplishments, and commend yourself for the goals you have achieved.

Advice varies from article to article, but most experts agree on the main points – except for the eighth one mentioned above. Studies have found that people who share their goals can be less likely to reach them than those who keep goals to themselves.

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers, who cited psychological research on this in a TED talk (www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_keep_your_goals_to_yoursel), wrote, "Shouldn't you announce your goals, so friends can support you? Isn't it good networking to tell people about your upcoming projects? Doesn't the 'law of attraction' mean you should state your intention, and visualize the goal as already yours?

"Nope. Tests done since 1933 show that people who talk about their intentions are less likely to make them happen. Announcing your plans to others satisfies your self-identity just enough that you're less motivated to do the hard work needed."

Not to worry. You can share goals without losing your sense of urgency. The solution is to share them in a way that doesn't provide a sense of completion. For example, state in full the long, hard steps you'll have to take toward that big goal, and instead of being satisfied, you're likely to take a deep breath and then get moving.

The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information.

Notice to readers: These are archived articles. Contact names or information may be out of date. We regret any inconvenience.