You didn't set any goals for your shop, did you?

June 2, 2014
I have often wondered why some years I achieve my goals and some years I don’t. Sometimes I blame it on the goals being too lofty, or someone or something got in my way.

I have often wondered why some years I achieve my goals and some years I don’t. Sometimes I blame it on the goals being too lofty, or someone or something got in my way. I was listening to one of our senior coaches, Geoff Berman, explain it to a client and it helped me, so I wanted to share what Geoff had to say:

It is truly amazing how quickly time goes by — and the older I get, the faster time seems to go. What a year 2013 was! That statement means something different for all of you. For some, this was a very challenging year. For others, it was a year of growth. Maybe you’re struggling with your staff, economic issues or yourself. As you look back on the year, whatever you see, I can make this statement with absolute certainty: There were things that happened in your life you can be proud of, and there are things you wish were different!

As a 10-year coach at ATI, I have noticed that as important as goal setting is, for most clients it simply doesn’t work. So the last few years I have instructed my clients to stop making New Year’s resolutions and stop setting goals. At first, most of them thought I was insane at this request (that is certainly a possibility); but after I explained why, it became clear what I was asking them to do. For some, this was way outside their comfort zone and it took some coaxing. For others, it immediately made sense. For those who participated fully, they found it to be more effective than traditional goal-setting exercises.

Why it doesn’t work
To understand what I want you to do, first you need to understand why typical goal setting just doesn’t work. If you did set goals this year, take note of how many you missed, as you read why they typically are ineffective. As you reflect on the results, let it resonate why this process failed you. Here are what I consider to be the Top 5 reasons why you have not been accomplishing your goals:

1. You were not specific. For example, maybe you have not taken a vacation in 10 years and you want to take a vacation in the coming year. So you set a goal to take a vacation this year. That is very generic. Be more specific: I'm going to Cancun for Sept. 19 through Sept. 25 with my spouse and three kids. This goal allows you to do many things. First, now you can figure out what it will cost and start saving for it. If you book it now, you will likely get it for less and be more accountable to its actually happening. Plus, you will have plenty of time to prepare your business to be successful during the week you are gone. To just say you’re going to take a vacation is simply not enough detail to help this goal become a reality. The more specific you are, the more likely it is to happen.

2. You didn’t date the goal. Keeping with the same vacation goal example, you will notice when the original “take a vacation” goal was made more specific, part of that process included dates. This is very important when goal setting. If you do not set a date, you are giving yourself an excuse to miss it. There is nothing driving you, and at the end of the year when you did not accomplish that goal, you either transfer it to the next year’s goals again, or scrap it altogether. There is a reason why your offers expire when you advertise. The same concept is true here. Give yourself a sense of urgency, and it is more likely to become a reality.

3. You didn’t refer to it constantly. How many times have you written down goals for the year — only to put them aside, never to be seen again? Maybe you did refer to them when you started setting goals for the next year to see what was not accomplished, but they have been out of sight for most of the year. Without a constant reminder of what you want and when it is to be done, it is very unlikely that goal will come to fruition. Post your goals somewhere where you see them weekly, or even daily. If these things truly are important to you, they should be driving you to make the necessary change to accomplish them. That cannot happen if you forget what it is you wanted to accomplish. Maybe it could be the screen saver on your laptop!

4. You made a wish list, not a goal list. Let’s be honest here: If you look at goals you have made in the past, they are really not goals at all. Some, if not all of them, are just wishes — things you have written down that you are hoping for. If that is what you put on your goal poster, then you have failed before you even started. Add to that not being specific and not dating it, and it is no wonder why most people do not reach their goals. While things like “increase car count by 25 a week,” “buy that childhood dream car,” “become a millionaire” or even “go on vacation” might seem attainable eventually, they are likely not going to happen this year, and they are much less likely if they do not follow the rules. If you confuse your goals with your wishes, eventually you will give up on those wishes. And that would be unfortunate.

5. You didn’t share your goals. As a coach, I can be a great resource to my clients in accomplishing what they want if that information is shared with me. If you are lucky enough to have a coach, you understand what I mean. But even if you don’t, there are many people in your lives who will help you if you let them. Your spouse, friends and staff should all be aware of your goals. When you put it out there in the universe, the level of accountability rises. You should not be ashamed of your goals or feel they need to be kept private. Get them out there for all to see, and you will find yourself there before you know it. If you do feel shame or embarrassment in the goals you have set, that should be a clear indicator that you may want to rethink that one!

Now that you see where most fail, how did you do? I hope you got a five out of five, but it is likely you didn’t. Do you see now that you really didn’t make goals at all? You made a wish list, and unless your life is a Disney movie, that’s not a great way to create a plan.

A much better way
So here is a better way. I want you to take yourself to the end of the year. Once there, ask yourself what you accomplished. Instead of saying what you want, I want you to tell yourself what you’ve done. Take a moment and bask in that accomplishment. How does it feel to have accomplished that goal? I bet it feels good. Now I want you to describe that feeling when writing what you accomplished. Be as detailed as you can, as if you are writing a novel and you’re trying to draw the reader in. If I read that goal, I want to feel how you felt when you wrote it. Here is an example:

Not good, a wish: Clean and paint the shop.

Much better, your accomplishment: In June, I completed my cleanup project. I updated my shop for even better curb appeal. I cleaned out all the clutter and painted the lifts and shelving. It really looks great, and my customers feel a great sense of professionalism.

When I read that goal, I can actually visualize customers walking up to the service advisor and saying, “I really like what you’ve done with the place. It looks great!”

If you can get to that point with your goals, you can’t help but accomplish them. If you feel it, not only will you want it more, but the goals you make will be ones you can actually accomplish because you saw it done.

For some of you, this will be a challenge, but I know you will all agree that following this process can do nothing to hold you back and can only help you get what you want. I challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and give it a try. What have you got to lose?

Goal Accomplishment Cheat Sheet
Here at ATI we have a document to help you through this process. It is called the ATI Goal Accomplishment Cheat Sheet. If you want to succeed more often achieving your dreams and goals, you can simply download this form for a limited time at www.ationlinetraining.com/2014-06 and we will be happy to send you this very effective tool.

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