Lots of people have goals, lots of people make New Year’s resolutions, and lots of people believe that their future self will do many of the things their present self keeps failing to do. 

We set our sites on slimmer beach bodies by summer, maxed out 401Ks this year, and the degree or certification that will put us ahead of the pack and ensure success. We see the result clearly. That’s good! Goal setting and visualization are essential – but without a process, they are just pipe dreams.

I am a big proponent of goal-setting. I teach it, run goal-setting events, and have been a habitual goal-setter myself for 30+ years, but it’s useless without a process.

I do this in a microcosm in my coaching practice. I encourage my clients to stretch themselves and see where they want their business to be a year from now. Then we walk it back to what has to be done next week and calendar it in. We define and schedule all the process pieces to achieve the result.

I even have them send me a calendar invitation to increase accountability when they schedule the activity.

Process is Paramount.

If you want a slimmer beach body by summer, scheduling a cardio workout tomorrow is more important than pasting a picture of Hasselhoff and the Bay Watch Babes to your bathroom mirror for inspiration. 

If you can define and schedule the process, the outcome will follow. The final piece is accountability. If you continue to blow off scheduled activities (who doesn’t?), get an accountability partner. I have two.

One is 300 miles away, and we text daily to account for our workouts, and the other is 3,000 miles away, and we check in with our totals against our previously shared goals at the end of each month. I can tell you that when I am on the fence about a morning workout, knowing I’d have to admit my failure to those two often gets my motor running.

Today, right now, pick a piece of the process that will get you started to where you want to be and schedule it into your calendar.

And, if you have the guts to invite me,  I will happily check to see that you have completed it.

Own Your Sales Gene…