Define What You Want And Write It Down

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Define What You Want And Write It Down

Written by Jeb Blount

Attack Yourself

Nothing feels better than winning. But while you are cashing that big commission check, relaxing on the beach at your sales award trip, or walking on stage at your national sales meeting to pick up your trophy ask yourself this question: What next? You see, winning was hard. It required perseverance, training, hard work and focus. But all too often, after achieving our big goals we take our foot off of the success accelerator and just coast for awhile. Relaxing in the glow of our victory we quickly forget that the game is still on, our competitors are not resting but instead are plotting our demise. I was reminded of this yesterday when I read a marketing slogan for a company that had just received a top award in its industry. The slogan simply read:

You just closed the biggest deal of your career, you blew away your quota, you made the president’s club, you were named sales rep of the year. You just crossed the finish line first . You raised your hands, pumped your fists, and celebrated. You are a winner!

“When you’re in second place attack the leader. When you’re in first place Attack Yourself.”

What a perfect message for winners. In the 21st century there is no time for complacency. We can not afford the luxury of comparing ourselves to those behind us. There is no time to rest easy. And though we must take time to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of victory, we must also stop and create new goals for ourselves. We must learn to take each win in stride and raise our own bar so that we keep reaching higher.

It is easy to look back poor performance or a failure with our 20/20 spectacles on and find all of the areas where improvement can be made. But it takes loads of self discipline and the heart of a winner to break down a brilliant performance and then take action to make small adjustments and improvements that keep us ahead of the pack. The great NFL quarter back Steve Young said once that “the principle is competing against yourself. It’s about self-improvement, about being better than the day before.”

In fact this is what all elite athletes and elites sales professionals do. Real winners constantly attack themselves. They pick apart each performance and seek ways to improve. It is the unwavering focus on constant improvement that separates the good from the great.

{mosimage}You want something. You have goals. You have dreams. The reason I know that you have dreams and goals is that as a Sales Professional or Business Leader, it’s just in your nature. It is likely that you chose sales as your profession because you recognize that no other career in business today offers more opportunities for achievement and success.

As individuals our goals and dreams are unique. For some of you, what you want can be complex and for others extremely simple. Some of you want bigger homes, financial independence or cool toys. Others want to put their kids through college without going broke or have more time to spend with them while they are little. Some of you are looking for better personal relationships, career advancement or more money. What matters most is that you find a way to get what you want, and that you leverage your talents to make your dreams come true.

Defining what you want will not be easy. It will take practice and patience. Get some help from your significant other, your friends, manager or a coach. They can provide you with perspective and feedback that will help you be honest with yourself. Of course, the most important thing you can do is start! A written goal is motivation’s playing field. When you write down your goals you turn energy into action. Action is motion. Motion creates momentum. Momentum moves you forward towards your dreams.

Do you know what you want? Do you have a dream? Do you know what motivates you to get up each morning, hit the streets and be your very best? Think about it... then write it down.

Five PowerPrinciples for Winning Goals

1. Goals Must Be Specific: This means exact, clear, precise, and unambiguous.

2. Goals Must Be Time Bound: The act of defining "when" creates urgency. Urgency forces action, harnessing your desire, removing complacency, and overcoming procrastination.

3. Goals Must Be Attainable: It is important to shoot for the stars and ignore the limits. However, if too many of your goals are long shots you’ll end up becoming frustrated. Getting regular wins helps you stay motivated and on track.

4. Goals Have Steps to Success: Big goals are always achieved through a series of small, measurable steps, and these Steps to Success (your plan) must be defined and written down if you want your big dreams to come true.

5. Goals Must Be Written Down: A written goal is a powerful force. It constantly tugs at you, pulling and pushing you towards your destination. It is there, written in stone, and it cannot be ignored until it has been reached. The PowerPrinciples Goal Sheet™ is designed to help you write down your goals and plan your Steps to Success. Get a free PowerPrinciples Goal Sheet™.

Jeb Blount
		About the author:
		Jeb Blount is a leading expert on sales, leadership and human behavior in the workplace. He helps companies, teams, and individuals transform their organizations and accelerate performance through intense focus on interpersonal relationships. He is the author of five books including People Follow You: The Real Secret to what Matters Most in Leadership,People Buy You: The Real Secret to what Matters Most in Business, Sales Guy’s 7 Rules for Outselling the Recession, Business Expert’s Guide to Small Business Success and Power Principles.To learn more call 706-664-0810 x102 or email carrie.martinez@peoplefollowyou.com .