A few years ago, I started a Women's Networking Group in North Georgia. It was such an awesome group of wonderful, motivated, and inspiring women. I remember once near the end of the year I spoke about dreams and goals, looking back and looking forward. It was a very thought provoking meeting.
In my real estate career it seems that every broker every year has the same class as well, goal setting, business planning and reviewing the past year. It was also the subject at my Mastermind Group meeting where several of my best friends and real estate pro's would gather once a month to share ideas, experiences, and motivate and encourage each other.
So, what's all the fuss every year about business planning and goal setting all about? Why must we do this over and over, year after year? There isn't just one answer. There are many answers. I'm sure you have your own answers, but here's one that rings true, year after year.
If you don't know where you are going, how will you get there? Jim Rohn says the best place to 'start' is at the 'finish line', then go backwards. In sales, you have to figure out how many sales you want to close, how many calls produce leads and how many leads result in deals. Then figure out how many calls a day you have to make to reach your goal. Or maybe it's losing weight. Of course you realize that the weight 'gain' was little by little, ounce by ounce, over a period of days, years, and months. And the weight 'loss' must happen the same way in reverse.
Whatever your endeavor, rejoice over each small success and realize that moment by moment you are one step closer to your goal. Before you can run a marathon, you have to be able to walk a mile.
2011 has been the most life changing and challenging year of my life, and I've learned some valuable lessons. I've learned that life is like flying a jet plane from California to Hawaii. The route is never in a straight line. Coordinates are set and reset many times while en route. Eventually, after zig zagging back and forth the plane sets down on the tarmac successfully reaching it's destination.
I've learned that just when you thing you have it all figured out, life can throw you a curve ball. And if you want to survive, you'd better keep your catcher's mitt conditioned and in working order.
Maybe a good idea is to spend more time in reflection of the year realizing what you've learned, what you failed at, and what didn't work out. Why? Because failure is the path to success. Each lesson learned is an opportunity to move forward. 'Lesson Learned' being the opportune words here. If you experienced failure but you refuse to learn from it, you are doomed to repeat it. It's like having a huge book collection vs. reading alot of books.
How about you? Have you set your 2012 Goals yet? Is your business plan written and segmented into months, weeks, and days? I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is absolute magic in writing your goals and setting deadlines. It makes every day a day of purpose. As one of my favorite people, Anthony Robbins, says... "The purpose of setting the goal or achieving your dreams is not to get things, The purpose of the goal is what it will make of you as a person. Making a million dollars can only inspire you so much, but becoming a person of abundance will last you the rest of your life."
Wishing you and yours a joyous Christmas Season, and a prosperous New Year!
