Inevitably, this time of year, we start reflecting on what we accomplished last year and look forward to what we might like to accomplish in the next. This post may be nothing more than stating the obvious but I thought it is a concept that might sometimes go overlooked. I was on the treadmill the other day thinking about some of the things that I want to accomplish for 2014 and had a number of things cross my mind. From the ridiculously simple, to the utterly ridiculous. As I mentally scrolled through all of my potential goals for 2014 both lofty and simple it struck me that really any of them are possible. The challenge? Having the discipline and commitment to do the baby steps it takes to achieve the end results.
While no one sets a goal in anticipation of not achieving it, I think sometimes we don’t really consider fully what it will take to achieve those goals. That is usually where the ‘Goal achieving’ piece falls apart. Consider the new years favourite. Losing weight. If you want to lose weight you have to commit to, and be disciplined enough to stick to, eating less and exercising more. If you are not prepared to do what it takes, if you are not prepared to commit to a better diet and exercise regimen then there is no point in setting that weight loss goal.
While I am a huge believer in positive affirmations, visualization and all the other self help techniques that are taught, the two key ingredients in my mind in achieving any goals are discipline and commitment. The bigger the goals the more of these ingredients are necessary. The larger goals come down to a series of daily commitments which add up to the larger goal.
In the mortgage business we typically set goals around funded mortgage volume. While it is easy to pick a number and set it as a goal it is not so easy to commit to doing what it takes to get there. If you break it down to a daily commitment it usually means committing to talk to x number of people each and every business day. If you are not prepared to commit to talking to enough new people to reach your goal it will never happen. On the flip side, these goals can be readily accomplished simply by talking to enough people on a daily basis.
The point of this post is not to discourage you in your goal setting endeavors, but rather to assist you in your goal achieving endeavors. I truly believe you can accomplish anything you want if you are prepared to commit the time and resources to ensuring that all the baby steps happen along the way. So as you set your goals for 2014 make sure you fully understand what will be required to achieve them, commit to those daily requirements instead of committing to the goal. Have the discipline to do them and in January 2015 we will be talking about the amazing things you achieved in 2014.
Share with me some of your goals for 2014 in the comments section below.
