Plan For Success

BY: Chris Pace

As we step into the twilight of 2019 it is time to begin thinking about developing goals and objectives for 2020. As part of the process it is important to think about what got you to where you are now!?

Was 2019 the year you expected? Did you achieve all the things you set out to accomplish?

Perhaps you had a banner year and reached all of your goals…. What led to that success? Or, did you fall short of reaching some of your goals and… Also, why?

Watch this very short video that leans into some important considerations when setting (and executing) your goals; whether professional, personal, or both:

A quick anecdote:

Imagine you’re at the base of a mountain, looking up at the snowy peak. You’re about to make a long, tiresome trek to the top because you’ve always wanted to summit this peak and see the world from a different elevation. A triumph in the making. The path up will be windy, snowy, and filled with treacherous steps that could result in injury the entire way. You’re excited at the prospect of this journey, but also tentative because you really want to set foot atop this massive summit and scared that you might not make it.

Well, you’re in luck. As you’re about to take your first few steps, a helicopter swoops in and lands a few yards from you. The pilot gets out and says, “Hey buddy! I’m headed to the top, the journey will be safe, and I can have you back at camp in a 10^th of the time it’ll take you to hike this mountain. Wouldn’t you like to see the top and be back for lunch at your warm, comfortable basecamp?” Perhaps your first reaction is, “Wow! That’d be terrific” It’s an efficient route and I get what I want – to stand on the peak – without having to tussle with the complexities along the way. “But then reality sets in and you consider what’s really going on here.

What might it feel like having reached the summit WITHOUT doing any of the work to get there!? To me, that’s a hollow result and while you DO get to reach the desired end result, the value of the victory will likely be diminished. It simply wasn’t earned and thus the victory is less celebrated.

Let’s talk process 

So, what’s the point? Well, as the video depicted, THE PROCESS is the key to great achievement, not necessarily the attainment of the result. While this certainly shouldn’t dissuade us from setting lofty, rewarding goals; there always needs to be an achievable target. I would encourage you to consider if your process is focused, regimented, and measurable. It is far more likely that you’ll achieve your goals if you chart a course and follow your process to a successful completion.

The fact is, when you set a plan in motion that engages a robust process, you can’t help but WIN… even if you fall a little short of the optimal goal. A process mindset will not only help you achieve the goals of today, but also set you up to achieve the goals of tomorrow because you’re building a foundation of excellence.

Measuring success or failure?

Consider the person who sets a goal to lose 100 lbs. in 1 year… they start a workout and diet routine and stick it pretty well. But at the end of the year, they have only lost 90lbs. Do we consider this a failure? Certainly not. The reality is simple… the process is set, the habits are formed, and greatness is merely a timing issue – this person will likely lose the extra 10 lbs. in the next couple of weeks – because the process is established.

How can we apply this process to our personal and professional life? Think about it. If you consider the process from a high level the logical solution is to reverse engineer, your daily/weekly/monthly goals into daily practice.

A practical application

As an example, let’s say you want your business to gain $500,000 in gross revenue this year. At first that may seem HUGE and unrealistic. When you break that goal into a daily process, the work becomes clear, manageable, and much more attainable.

Do the Math…$500,000 / 52 weeks = $9,615. Divided by 5 days = $1,923. Let’s say your business has 3 salespeople, that’s an incremental $641 per day average per salesperson to reach goal.

What’s the plan?

How you structure your coming year plan is a critical part of the process and determines success or failure. Don’t be afraid to plan big! Break it into smaller pieces and then look at the incremental parts to see where you expect them to grow.  Be creative in establishing your PROCESS. The pathways to process are endless, but the result is the same: incremental improvement for the business, the salesperson, and ultimately… the client.

As you set goals for 2020, take time to consider the PROCESS that will get you to your goals. When you construct the foundation for greatness, there’s truly only one way to go: ONWARD AND UPWARD!