As we approach the New Year, I wanted to spend some time this week exploring goal-achievement — reaching our goals in the fastest, most effective way possible. Think about what your current goals are. What are the things that you’re working towards? Achieving goals is a process. We begin with defining what we want to accomplish, and that gives us the goal; but how clear are we on the steps to get there from where we’re starting? Here’s what it takes to fill in that middle ground between the starting point and the finish line and achieve all the goals you set for yourself:
Attitude is Key
Your attitude toward your goal plays a major role in how quickly you’ll get there, or if you’ll get there at all. When we set unrealistic goals, we’re generally setting ourselves up for failure. Goals should be challenging, but they should also be attainable. From the very start, you want to encourage possibility and positivity, and setting realistic goals supports that. Challenging goals require commitment and grit to achieve them (More on how grit helps loan officers succeed, here). These things begin with our attitude. When you check in on the progress you’re making on your goals (it should be often), check in on your mindset as well. If the goal needs to be revised to ensure you stay excited and positive, then revise it a bit.
Maintain Motivation
Motivation is always in high supply when we set a goal and start working toward it; but that motivation can dissipate very quickly if we’re not careful. In today’s real estate market, burn out has become a serious reality and preserving that initial motivation has proven to be difficult for many loan officers. The best way we can do that is by frequently reminding ourselves why the goal is important, and how reaching it will benefit us. When you keep your goals current and relevant, you can sustain a high-enough level of motivation to keep you moving forward when things get challenging.
Take Daily Action
At the end of the day, achievement is the result of hard work. You may discover a few shortcuts along the way, but ultimately, the more work you put in, the faster you reach your goal. The equation is simple and keeping it in mind will give you the boost you need to take small steps every day. This daily work is how we make the progress we need to make. Think about what exactly you’ll need to do to reach your goal, and then see if you can break that down into even smaller steps. When we set little goals along the way to our big goal, we give ourselves milestones to hit along the way. Each of those milestones should be celebrated, and each time we reach one, our motivation and excitement are going to be replenished.
Be Consistent
Once you’ve mapped out the smaller steps you’re going to need to take, it’s going to come down to your commitment. You might be committed to reaching your goal, but you need to be equally committed to the daily work, too. During the moments when you’re unmotivated or tired or frustrated, you have to commit to maintaining consistency. Your ability to make progress toward your goal is entirely on you, and if you power through the down times and keep pushing on, you’re going to stay on track.
Achieving realistic goals, even if they’re challenging and ambitious, is always possible if you have the right attitude, stay motivated, take daily steps, and stay consistent.
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