Tis the season to be setting goals for the coming year! Here are a few important elements in creating results from those goals.

1. Vision

   A clear vision of the end result is powerful. One of my clients set a financial goal for last year and came within $150 of it. She was amazed. Keeping the end result in front of you let’s your subconscious mind work on ways to achieve it! Writer William James noticed, “There is a law in psychology that if you form a picture in your mind of what you would like to be, and you keep and hold that picture there long enough, you will soon become exactly as you have been thinking.”

2. Measures of Satisfaction

   Without a written plan, your goals can get sidetracked or, even worse, they can become another incomplete part of your life that you feel bad, unsuccessful or guilty about. Set up a structure is a critical element in staying on track. People with written plans accomplish significantly more than those without a plan. Your measures of satisfaction should be specific and measurable. You can have as many as you like for each goal.

3. Values

   When you know how the goal allows you to express a core values, you have a powerful motivator in place. You connect to the “why”. What is really important in your life? Is it family? The ability to achieve? To make a contribution to others? To feel appreciated? If you can honestly identify 4-6 values that are REALLY important and tie your goals to getting more of that…….you’ll have more fun and be able to stay on track more easily.

4. Resources

   When you look back from having accomplished what you envisioned, there were people, places and things available to you that made it possible for you. Approach this from having the end result in mind right now. Then see what is missing from where you are that would be necessary. Achievement of your goals may require you may to hire someone else, buy some new equipment or technology, or begin to expand your sphere of influence.

   For instance, if you were to double your income this year, where would the breakdowns in your systems occur? What new resources you would need? Plan how and when you will get these resources. Also, look at the resources you already have in place to see how they can be more fully utilized or leveraged. What more could you do with what you already have? This is especially useful in the realm or people and relationships. There are people who would love to help you, if you would quit being a lone ranger, and tell them how they can!

5. Actions

   Knowing, on a daily & weekly basis, what actions are necessary is crucial. The magnitude of the actions must be consistent with the goal. I’m training for a triathlon right now and I know exercising twice a week won’t cut it!

   So let’s look: If it takes you five calls to generate an appointment and three appointments to make a sale and your goal is based on one sale a week, 15 calls per week should create the result. NOW: here is where the reserve comes in. Plan on making at least 22 calls each week to build the reserve and give you “insurance”. Schedule daily actions or consistent weekly actions. Get out your calendar for the next 12 months & time frame those actions for the whole year.

6. Support:

   Ask for and plan for more support than you need as well! Coaches, mentors, bosses, friends and partners all qualify. The more people you involve in your goals, the better chance you have of accomplishing them. There will be days (or weeks) when you don’t want support but, because you have involved others, it will be easier to stay on track or get unstuck! Someone who is looking from another perspective can give you just the message you need. Or someone who will be honest when you are off base! We all thrive with cheerleaders! Build in accountability in several different ways.

Position yourself for success with your goals for the coming year!

Published: December 26, 2001

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Joeann Fossland GRI, LTG, MCC is a dynamic speaker and business coach. Creator of THE REAL ESTATE GAMETM, she provides coaching solutions enhance your effectiveness and life balance. You can subscribe to her free monthly newsletter, attend free monthly telephone seminars, and find out about classes delivered by email and personal coaching by visiting JoeAnn.com or e-mail her at .