What would you set as your goals this year, if you knew you couldn’t fail?
One of the areas in which we all must give ourselves a “mental check-up” every so often is found in our self-limiting beliefs. As we set our sights on the future and the things we want to accomplish for our families – both professional and personal – we are always searching for that balance between realistic and challenging. It seems that the higher we aim, the greater our fear of failure can become. There is nothing wrong with that fear… as long as we don’t let that fear paralyze us.
The truth about goal setting is that what is considered reasonable today may have been thought completely “unreasonable” just a few years ago.
I’ll give you an example.
In 1993, when I began my sales career in the voluntary insurance industry, someone achieving the goal of selling over $100,000 in annualized premium sales was considered very strong. At that sales volume, you were earning reward trips and accolades.
However, just a few years later, that mark became $200,000. And by the time the century rolled over, top producers were producing over half-a-million in premium sales.
Now – several top producers are producing over $1,000,000 in sales each year.
Looking back; if someone in 1993 had told any of us that someday people would sell over a million dollars in annualized premium per year… I am afraid we would have laughed.
Another great example is found in sports.
At one time, learned men and women stated that “It was physically impossible for a human being to run a mile in less than 4 minutes.” But in Oxford, England, on May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister ran a mile in 3:59.4 and proved these “learned” people wrong.
Just 46 days later… Australian, John Landy broke Bannister’s new record.
Today, many high school athletes run the mile in less than 4 minutes.
My point?
Don’t let anyone… including you… allow self-limiting beliefs to cause such fear in you that you give up on any goal that you deem important.
“Lofty goals missed will take you farther than mediocre goals achieved.”
– Jeff C. West
Instead, ask yourself the question, “If I knew I couldn’t fail this year, what would my sales goal be?” Then… regardless of how insane it may seem, write out the following based on that sales goal.
- Determine the number of sales that must be made to achieve that goal.
- Determine the number of presentations/conversations and recommendations required.
- Determine the number of prospects that must be contacted.
Then take action.
QUESTION:
What goal did you achieve last year, that would have seemed impossible ten years ago?
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