Success..It's Not Rocket Science
The 3 P's - People, Process, Priorities.
I talk about these 3 business aspects all the time with my clients. By simply taking a handful of actions in these 3 areas, without fail, a business will accelerate its success. I have focused on the third P, priorities, for over 20 years; ever since I read Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. And one of the key components I talk about regarding priorities, is setting goals.
That is why when I read a recent interview with Daymond John, one of the sharks on Shark Tank, I paid particular attention to the credit he gives to focusing on goals when it comes to his success.
Q: So what's on your list of goals right now?
My goals are always the same. So it's 10 goals I read every morning and every night. Seven of them expire in six months and the others expire in 5 years, 10 years and 20 years. The are based on faith, family, business, health and career.
Q: How do you go about achieving those goals?
By reading them. Goal setting is a very specific thing. It's not "I want to lose weight." It's "I will drink 10 glasses of water per day. I will not eat fried foods or red meat. I will walk over 10,000 steps per day, do cardio in the morning, and weight lift at night." In return for that, I will lose 2 pounds per week to get down to my goal weight of 170. And this will allow me to be healthier and to remain in my daughters' lives for a longer period of time. Then you have to visualize yourself walking your daughters down the aisle or being a grandfather. So every one of the goals has the action I am going to take to do it, has the time period that I'm going to take to accomplish it, and then has the benefit - how will I benefit or how will other people benefit off of it.
These two brief responses are chock full of take-aways when it comes to goal setting and creating success in your life and business.
Set goals - Actually take the time to set your goals. This simple act begins a chain reaction of momentum that has a magic all its own.
Review the goals regularly - Sometimes the most important action we can take is reading and re-reading our goals. Doing so infuses them into our subconscious which can drive your daily actions and decisions.
Cover diverse areas of your life - So many business people focus solely on their business goals. However, it is important to involve all areas of your life so that you will be well-rounded and not experience burn out.
Make your goals S.M.A.R.T. - If your goals are not Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound, you are diminishing your chance of success.
Focus on Lead and Lag measures - Most people only focus on lag measures, the end result, when setting goals. However, it is more important to focus on the lead measures - behaviors that if carried out ensure the final result - in order to guarantee success and ensure ongoing progress toward the goal.
Visualize the end result - this involves not only visualizing the accomplishment of the goal, but also the joyful moments and benefits it will bring to your life and those around you.