| Changing our behavior to achieve better results is | | | | and raise your personal standards of conduct. |
| the most important challenge we face in trying to | | | | Make sure you have each of the key areas |
| compete in this chaotic world. Maybe you are in a | | | | represented. It is not the quantity, but the quality |
| slump or know deep down you have accepted an | | | | of the goals you set! |
| average performance when a great one is | | | | For someone in sales, good questions to establish |
| possible. When you're ready to change, to | | | | immediate, short and long-term goals would be: |
| increase your sales, to take some calculated risks, | | | | -What am I committed to earning this year? |
| to improve any and all aspects of your life, you | | | | -What percentage of my sales is from referrals? |
| may not know how to begin beyond crossing | | | | -How many new prospects will I contact a day? |
| your fingers and hoping for a lucky break. What | | | | How many current clients will I contact? |
| can you do differently to create more positive | | | | -How can I better document my successes with |
| results in your work and personal life? | | | | testimonial letters, quotes, and pictures? |
| First, accept the fact that if you are not getting | | | | -What company award and/or incentive trip am I |
| the results you want in any aspect of your life, it | | | | committed to winning? |
| just might be you! It's not somebody else's fault. | | | | -What will I do each day to enhance my expert |
| To achieve real change in your results, decide that | | | | status and give more value to my clients? |
| this is your year. You must believe in yourself and | | | | -Have I been doing what it takes to be great or |
| your ability to make change happen. When you | | | | have I been making excuses and fighting to be |
| do, you'll find that your belief naturally leads you | | | | average? |
| to take action, and action is the only thing that | | | | 4. What is my action plan and tracking method? |
| brings results. | | | | Break your bigger goals into monthly and even |
| True change requires you to develop clear | | | | weekly achievable steps. But keep in mind that |
| reasons why you will not fail yourself and your | | | | the time-worn old advice to take gradual "baby |
| family. So when you know what drives you, write | | | | steps" is seldom effective; you'll get frustrated |
| it down. The process requires introspection, which | | | | and discouraged if your new results don't come |
| you may not be used to, but in order for it to | | | | quickly enough. Be bold! Making more radical |
| work, you need to take the time to quietly | | | | changes will simply yield quicker results and |
| consider every aspect of your life (past, present, | | | | establish forward momentum. |
| and future) and commit it to paper. | | | | Next, create a goal sheet and action plan in any |
| To embark on this process, consider the following: | | | | format that suits you: a time line, a monthly |
| 1. Where have you been? If you feel as if | | | | calendar with target dates and notes, pictures of |
| disappointing results are your destiny, they will be | | | | the outcome you want with a simple list of the |
| until you are able to see the behaviors that lead | | | | steps it will take to get there, or any other |
| to those results. So take ten minutes to reflect | | | | creative format that works for you. Make it easy |
| on your accomplishments and your | | | | to review your goals and higher personal |
| disappointments, big and small, and then write | | | | standards daily by laminating your action plan and |
| everything down. Consider and answer these | | | | putting it in your shower, on your bathroom |
| questions for your career, family, health, faith, self | | | | mirror, or in your briefcase for easy daily review. |
| education, finances, and recreation/fun. | | | | Radical changes you can make for better results |
| -What accomplishments am I most proud of? | | | | include: |
| -What specific results have I achieved? | | | | -Get up thirty minutes earlier at least four days a |
| -Have I been willing to do what I know it takes to | | | | week for aerobic exercise. |
| do better? | | | | -Make ten prospecting calls for new business |
| -What have been my biggest disappointments? | | | | every day by noon. |
| -What did I learn from my disappointments? | | | | -Contact three past customers every day and |
| 2. Where are you now? To change, you need to | | | | ask questions to uncover new opportunities. |
| know where you are in the present moment, as | | | | -Send one hand written card a day keeping in |
| well as where you've been. Make an honest | | | | touch with clients or praising an employee. |
| written assessment of where you are in your life | | | | -Limit fast food intake to once a week. Bring a |
| right now in the areas listed above. Where have | | | | small cooler of healthy food to work/in your car. |
| you lowered the bar and accepted it? Think in | | | | -Eliminate soda from your diet. Eat seven to nine |
| terms of keeping score and getting clear on the | | | | servings of fruits and vegetables each day. |
| actual numbers you have right now. Look at the | | | | -Focus only on positive things your family is doing |
| truth! Getting disgusted with your current situation | | | | or has done the first thirty minutes at home. |
| is a heck of a motivator. | | | | -Write a written outcome before you make |
| Health and energy level is the Achilles heel for | | | | every sales presentation. Tape it and review. |
| most people. The number one killer in the nation is | | | | Take the time to write down why you are |
| heart disease, and almost half those who have a | | | | committed to stick with these radical changes. |
| heart attack die from their first one. So you can | | | | Focus on the joy of when you make the change. |
| see the necessity of getting honest with yourself | | | | What if you implement that change? What are all |
| right now about your heath, as well as other | | | | the positive ramifications. Consider the negative |
| aspects of your life. To draw a detailed health | | | | consequences too. I just want you to focus more |
| picture, go to a professional and find out: | | | | on the joy of living vs. the fear of dying. Write at |
| -What is my current weight compared to where I | | | | least a paragraph to yourself. What kind of |
| want to be? | | | | person do you want to be? How will you behave |
| -What are my blood pressure, cholesterol levels, | | | | to become that person? |
| triglyceride level, and EKG readings? | | | | The Rewards of Change are Many |
| -What is my standing heart rate? Can I run a | | | | Whether you make change happen or not, it's |
| mile? How quickly do I recover after exercise? | | | | going to happen; that's the way life is. And the |
| – How often do I work out a month? Am | | | | results of passively waiting to see what happens |
| I too tired at the end of the day to enjoy | | | | next,of letting life decide for you,can be |
| myself? | | | | completely opposite from what you'd choose for |
| -Is fifty-percent of what I am eating water-rich | | | | yourself. Do not wait for a crisis! |
| live foods, fruits and vegetables? | | | | While making a radical change can be an |
| Repeat this process in the other key areas | | | | intimidating prospect at first, the rewards are |
| suggested, considering every aspect of your life | | | | many and will come quicker than might imagine. |
| as it really is, right now. | | | | When you're in control of your destiny, achieving |
| 3. Where do you want to go? Allow yourself to | | | | your optimal results and beyond, you'll look back |
| fantasize about what specifically you want most in | | | | on that decision and realize it was the moment |
| your life. First consider what you'd like to do | | | | everything began to change. Mastering the ability |
| immediately, then in the near future. What are the | | | | to confront reality and make a change isn't just a |
| top specific, measurable outcomes you'd like to | | | | key strategy for business. It is a necessity for life |
| achieve within those time frames? Look to clarify | | | | and perhaps the one skill most worth learning. |