5 Steps to Reaching Your Goals
March 19, 2010
The month of March is coming to an end. Do you still remember your New Year’s Resolutions? Read my latest ICS Article to learn “5 Steps to Reaching Your Goals”.
If you are like many people in America, you made a few New Year’s Resolutions for2010. Now it’s March. How are you doing? Even if you didn’t make specific resolutions
for this year, there were probably a few things that crossed your mind that you wanted
to change about your life and your business. You probably set some goals. I sometimes
wonder why a new year brings on new ideas and so many resolutions. Is it because of
all the talk about resolutions that brings our attention to it? Is it just an American
tradition?
Who knows why we do it, but we do. The thing is, most New Year’s Resolutions are not
kept. Health club attendance is at an all-time high in January. But where is everyone
now?
Setting goals should be a lifestyle. Let me say that again: setting goals should be a
lifestyle. What do I mean by that? I mean you should be reflecting on where you are in
life and in your business every day.
You should be looking at your clearly defined, written goals every day. You may feel
you are not good at setting goals. I disagree. The fact is, almost every person on the
planet knows how to set goals. Let me prove it.
Do you have a favorite TV show? Do you have a favorite football team? Aha! I would be
willing to bet that you know exactly when “your” show or “your” team comes on. And
guess what? You rearranged your schedule so you could be in front of the boob tube!
You set a goal, and you realized that goal!
All you have to do is transfer that same concept to the rest of your life and to your
business. I understand it is not that simple, so I will share a few thoughts about
goals that will help you along.
Let’s start with what I call your “life goals.” Life goals are the things you want to
achieve in life, whether those things are physical (e.g. losing weight), emotional
(not cursing), spiritual (getting closer to God), or material (owning something you
don’t currently have). Life goals could incorporate how many hours you work, or how
much you play sports or travel. They can be as unique and as extensive as you want.
The reason you want to start with life goals is because they are the only reason your
business exists. That’s the reason you went into business in the first place. You
thought it would help you achieve your life goals better than any other choices you
had at the time.
However, if you are like most small-business owners, you got something far different
than you expected. Instead of having more free time, you work yourself to death.
Instead of a business, you have a 24-hour-7-day-a-week “job.” You became a slave to
the business, to what is now a hungry monster that must be fed.
My good friend, bestselling author Michael Gerber, wrote a book called “The E-Myth”
which reveals how people go into business with lots of dreams of success only to
become slaves of the business. They think that because they do the “technical” part of
the business well, they will automatically be successful in business.
This is a deadly assumption. Because they spend all their time “doing” the work of the
business (working in it), they don’t spend enough time working on it, performing such
tasks as planning, marketing, and building systems so the owner is not required for
the business to run.
Reaching your goal for going into business is going to require some working “on” the
business. It will take planning the business rather than simply letting things happen
by accident. Success doesn’t happen by accident: it happens by intentionally focusing
on what it is you want, outlining a plan and implementing that plan.
Five Steps to Reaching Your Goals
Setting goals should be a lifestyle. Set 12-month goals, 30-day goals, and “today” goals. Put your today goals on your Daily Action List. Determine where you want to be 12 months from now, both personally and in your business. Break it down into months. What needs to be done in the next 30 days? Put the action steps that are required for each goal. The first action step of each goal should be on your Daily Action List. Look at this list every day and re-prioritize and implement the list every day. Brainstorming and Free Association Setting goals and planning requires freedom of thought. You cannot effectively plan your business when you are dealing with day-to-day pressures. I recommend getting away from time to time to plan your business. In fact, I think that taking a full day off and not doing anything related to business is a great practice because it allows your mind to rest and allows you to think freely. Burning the candle at both ends just produces burn out.
(c) photo by Howard Partridge
Step 1: Set Specific Goals
I once asked a seminar attendee how big he was planning on building his business, hisreply was “As big as possible.” While I admire the optimism, if you don’t have a specific number and a specific date in mind, chances are you won’t meet your goals. Setting specific goals spawns other important activities in the goal setting process. Charting specific numbers or specific dates helps you to realize that there are better strategies to reach the goal. A vague goal, such as “bigger” or “better,” will not create a sense of urgency or spell out exactly what must be done to reach it.Step 2: Have the End in Sight
This was one of Steven Covey’s seven habits in the bestselling “7 Habits of HighlySuccessful People.” The only way to set a specific goal is to see the end as it is. You have to have vision. You need to see as many of the parts as possible. If I set a goal to take my business to a certain dollar amount, that means I will need to have a certain number of people on staff. It means I will need to take specific action in my marketing plan to take my business there. It may mean that I need more equipment, etc. The point here is that you can’t just list the specific goal without taking into consideration what else will be involved. You will never know all of the dynamics of how it will be, and what you will experience once you get there, but you need to have an idea of what is absolutely required to be there. When I took my business to over $2 million per year, I had the end in sight. I knew I would need a certain number of trucks, a certain number of people, etc. What I did not know is what how it would feel. I did not realize what I would learn in leading 33 people. I did not understand management dynamics as I do now that I have experienced it first hand. I knew how to manage a staff of seven, but a group of 33 and working with middle management was a totally new experience. You won’t always know what experiences you will have along the way. That’s why we say that success is a journey, not a destination. It is the life lessons we learn along the way that create the real success, not just reaching the goal. However, the only way to get on the journey is to set our sights on a destination.Step 3: Write Down Your Goals
I know, I know, you have heard this from every motivational speaker you have everheard! I wonder why? Could it be because it works?! Believe it or not, everyone has a photographic memory. Your subconscious takes “pictures” of whatever you see every day. It burns them into your subconscious mind so that you take action on your goals even when you are not thinking about them. Your body learns through repetition. I like to write my goals over and over, refining and refining, thinking and thinking. I have a permanent place for them, but I am always reviewing them and, therefore, re-writing them. Writing your goals down works due to the fact that the written word is more powerful than the spoken word. Your employees should know what the “community” goals are, and they need to know what their specific goals are to help achieve that. Whether sales performance, production, re-services or whatever, community goals should be posted and communicated every day.Step 4: Break it Down
Once you have set a specific goal in time and number, now break it down by the year,month, week, and day. For example, let’s say your goal is to save $50,000 in the next five years. That’s $10,000 per year, $833 per month, approximately $192 per week, and $32 per day on a six-day workweek. While $50,000 can seem daunting, increasing your income by $32 a day doesn’t sound too difficult.Step 5: Review and Adjust Regularly
Your goals will change. Your worldview will change. You need to check to see how yourstrategies are working, so look at your goals every day. Next month we’ll take a look at four big reasons goals aren’t met, and what you can do about them. I wish you truly Phenomenal Success!
Mr. Systems John Browning Reveals…
February 6, 2010
John Browning was one of my early members and one of the founders of The Knights of the Round Table www.HPKnightsofTheRoundTable.com will be on deck to share how he just launched his new rug cleaning facility with “The Rug Lady”, Ruth Travis, and a powerful new promotional tool he is using to grow his phenomenally successful cleaning firm in Nashville. www.procareofnashville.com
We call him “Mr. Systems” because everything in his company has a procedure. It is one of the most focused and organized small businesses that I know of. John’s company uses the Howard Partridge business building systems to the max. It works!
Full Day Seminars Near You…
October 26, 2009
Discover How to Break Free from the
Demands of Your “Everyday” Cleaning and Restoration Business… and Transform it Into a Predictable, Profitable, Turn-Key Operation…
From someone who has already done it…
and helped thousands do the same!
Full Day Seminar with Howard Partridge Reveals How to Take Your Business to the Next Level… How to stop spending your day putting out “brush fires” and get organized… and the cleaning industry’s newest, latest, greatest, and most profitable marketing strategies!
Coming to the Following Locations:
· Dallas, TX November 6th
· Salem, NH November 13th
· Tampa, FL November 20th
· Raleigh, NC December 4th
WARNING: Only 50 people will be able to attend each of these events
I am very blessed to announce that I will be traveling to select locations across the nation for a one day seminar. This seminar is “rare” because I don’t travel to do these types of seminars very often any more.
If you know me at all, you know that my systems have literally transformed cleaning and restoration firms world-wide.
If you are a successful cleaner and you want to take your business to the next level, be sure to join us for a one day seminar that will NOT be repeated anytime soon. I will spend an entire day sharing my proven strategies for success.
We will be holding the seminar here at the following locations and we only 50 seats have been reserved for each location, so it is not too early to register.
And here’s the best part: I have agreed to do this seminar for only $97.00 per person, and it comes with a complete, 100% money-back guarantee. If you are not thrilled with the information you receive, you don’t pay! Plus, I will be giving you a free business building package worth $600.00 just for attending.
I look forward to seeing you there,
To Register for the Seminar, Call Right Now! Seats will go fast!
Dallas, TX November 6th: Call Jon-Don of Dallas 800-936-3512
Salem, NH November 13th Call Jon-Don of New England 800-542-8090
Tampa, FL November 20th: Call Jon-Don of Tampa: 800-201-6313
Raleigh, NC December 4th: Call Phenomenal Products at 877-354-7960
Here’s what Howard Partridge will be sharing at this seminar…
My Story… How I Went from a Welfare-Throw-Away-Kid to Living the “American Dream”
How I Built My Company from the Trunk of My Car to Over $2.8 Million Per Year - at an average of 62 cents per square foot for carpet cleaning.
How to Be So Organized that You Can Operate an Office On Wheels! This is the same system I use today!
7 Steps to Phenomenal Personal Success – The more successful you are as a person, the more successful your business can be. Find out what is holding YOU back!
How to Transform Your Everyday Job that You Call a Business into a Predictable, Profitable, Turn-Key Operation
How to Build Systems in Your Business – Step-by-Step
14 Ways to Get Your Employees to Do What You Want, When You Want It - I have 34 of the most positive, productive employees in the industry.
*** My Latest and Greatest Marketing Strategies, Systems, Promotions and Techniques that are Producing RECORD Sales Even in a Down Economy
Not only will you learn exactly how to get the highest prices for your service, how to generate a ton of referrals and how to double or even triple your business in the next 12 months, you will also get to see the exact marketing tools that myself and other highly successful members are using to produce record sales even in this “new” economy!
I will show you no less than 24 examples of real live marketing tools that are in action right now… newsletters, blogs, websites, e-mail marketing campaigns, my new card system, joint-venture marketing, and more
Only $97.00! Guaranteed or Your Money Back!
The entire day of working on your business is only 97 bucks and is completely guaranteed. The only thing you risk is your time and I promise it will be the most outstanding seminar you have ever attended.
Free Business Building Package Just for Attending! $600.00 Value!
Over the years I have created a “plethora” of training information that has revolutionized companies across the world. You will get access to a free package worth over six hundred dollars just for attending. You will be able to immediately implement many of the things you learn in the seminar with this information.
I look forward to meeting you in person
– Howard Partridge
Best-Selling Author Tamara Lowe to Speak at my Next Round Table Event!
March 14, 2009
Tamara Lowe is recognized as one of the world’s most successful speakers and consultants, having trained more than two million people in seventy countries. Tamara is a respected author, educator and businesswoman. She is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of Get Motivated Seminars, Inc., a business training company that produces America’s largest business seminars.
Tamara has worked with five United States presidents and numerous heads of state including British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Tamara has also worked with countless celebrities, athletes and newsmakers including Colin Powell, Joe Montana, George Foreman, Goldie Hawn, Charlton Heston, Bill Cosby, Christopher Reeve, Billy Graham, and Mother Teresa.
A former drug addict and dropout, Tamara’s message is dynamic and inspiring. Her work has been featured in TIME, PEOPLE, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, on 20/20, 60 Minutes and CNN.
Tamara and her husband Peter have two
sons and make their home in south
Florida.