Go for the Goal! Achieve your Goals!
Whatever you want most, here are some strategies to make it happen. Your second half of 2020 and Future Starts Here!
I’m pretty good at maintaining my goals, if I do say so myself. Eat nutritiously? Yep, most of the time. Exercise? I’ve got my routine. Keep our Real Estate Business Moving forward? Yeah, some months are better than others. What about my other goals? Not always as much. They often become my “would be nice.” It would be nice, but at the end of the day something else more pressing has come up.
A lot of people are just like me as it turns out, and get trapped in the state of inertia. Some are perfectly content with where they are and see no need to reach higher (I’m assuming that isn’t you as you’re on this site). That’s okay for some people, as long as they are truly happy. But most of us are stuck in place because we’re afraid to take a risk and fall short. The major cause of fear of failure is lack of confidence, when we’re convinced, we just don’t have what it takes to be successful. The more we doubt ourselves, the less likely we are to pursue anything but the easiest of goals.
So how do you stoke your confidence and become a go-getter? Well, it helps to have a little kick in the pants. We all need some help to bust out of ruts. Here’s some ideas on how to turn your dream into reality. Here’s to a road map to success.
Get Real
When I was in my twenties I had heaps of willpower. I was a career woman and thought I could balance a family, and still take on the real estate world – well, that didn’t turn out so well for Chip and I initially. We messed up to the tune $250k in debt, seemingly overnight. I would stay at the office late, attend parties on the weekend and even get my butt to the gym first thing in the morning. Then for a few years, it all the mental strength I had to get the work done I need to do each day. The thought of taking on a new strategy or market was a bit daunting even for me. I’d become a lazy person! It can be hard to have will power when I feel like I’m juggling a lot more (even not working I run a 600+ unit affordable housing non-profit, volunteer and do lots more for my extended family) and putting out fires all day. That doesn’t mean that I can’t reach my goals though. It’s just a matter of being realistic. I can choose one thing, make it a priority and work toward it every day!
Be Picky
Ask yourself: What would I like to improve in my life right now? What do I want to change? The right goal is the one that speaks to those wishes. What is your WHY, the Driver to WHY you do what you do!
It should be something you really want to do as opposed to a milestone you pursue because you think you should. For instances, are you trying to lose 10 lbs to feel good about yourself or get your first deal done to prove to others you can do it? Goals that are personally satisfying are naturally motivating. They’ll also make you happier. With a sense of choice, we apply ourselves more fully, and we’re more resilient to setbacks – and I promise there will be setbacks.
Reach High
“Just do your best” always sounded like a cop-out to me; in fact, it is. You have to be specific and have a defined goal or you have no way of bench-marking your success. For example Run a 9 minute mile, increase profits by 10% or even do 1 deal a month….these specific directives will fire you up to perform better than if you were just told to run fast or boost sales or even try to get a deal done “as best you can.” The phrase “Do your best” is a recipe for mediocrity. No one here is mediocre, so resolve to spend 1 hour a day every day on your goal until you achieve it!
The Write Thing
With a pen and paper, so you can’t delete it with a stroke of a key. When you write out a goal, it gives your conscious and subconscious a chance to fully absorb your intention. Your objective becomes real and demands a commitment. I will own my first rental by July 30th, 2020. As you all know I love commitment and the best way to commit to your goal is to Take It Public. Put it on Facebook, put it on your fridge, just put it out there. We put it on our Bathroom mirror for our daily review. Each week, write down your progress – do a Facebook update. If people are watching, you’ll feel more motivated to persist. I sure do!
See the Good and Bad
Visualize not only your goal but also the challenges you’ll face along the way. Anticipating speed bumps prepares you for the work that’s necessary to achieve success. If we do not believe in ourselves and our success – the success will never come. Also, if we think the process will be simple, we’ll coast and be less equipped to tackle obstacles when we do encounter them. Plan for both and you’ll be able to move forward.
Break It Down
In past years, when I would take on a new strategy or a new market for our Real Estate business, a wave for excitement and anxiety would wash over me. I may as well have been planning to climb Mount Everest. Goals need to be broken down to scalable chunks. You need to work backwards from your goal to figure out the steps you need to take to reach it. What can you do each day to move yourself forward? This strategy works for any objective, including losing weight and staring a new business. Starting in real estate isn’t as daunting if you focus on the small achievements that will get you there, like attending a couple networking investment clubs. Write down the steps as a checklist. Checking them off as you complete them keeps you motivated. (Need help with this? Get my Free Goals Worksheet Here)
Hang out with Goal Driven People
Whether it’s being healthy, wealthy or just being happier, we pick up behaviors from those around us. The same goes for being goal oriented. If you spend time (especially on this site) with people who act decisively to get what they want, we begin to pursue our own objectives in a similar manner. And when people share a meaningful bond – say REI accountability buddies – they’re even more driven to achieve the same goal.
Reward yourself
When it comes to difficult tasks, we’re like puppies: Dangle the proverbial bone in front of us and we feel a sudden resurgence of energy. Find a goal or a treat to reward yourself for the hard tasks. I know successful people don’t watch a lot of tv, but to be honest – I love my tv time. So, I get done what I set out to do each day and I reward myself with a DVR’d tv show. Whatever reward inspires you go for it. It’s an excellent way to tip the scales back in your favor when you’re just too tired to resist temptation.
Make a plan
Strategizing works, not matter the goal. If your aim is to lose 10 lbs, then one of your plans may be to eat the grapes in your bag if someone brought cookies into the office. For me it is taking advantage of any time that I have – I don’t squander it. I always have a list of things to do so when I have a minute I look at the list and dive in, instead of thinking about what my next move should be. The more you practice your plan, the more it will turn into a habit. It becomes less about how strong your goal “muscle” is and more about a reflex.
Over the years I’ve learned that Goals are as much about physics as they are about psychology: An object in motion stays in motion. And with visions of Real Estate Domination, I have no intention of stopping now!
Best of success!
Andrea
Comments