Setting goals is a key strategy for loan officers to keep moving forward. The right goals can be a great source of motivation, and they can help you stay on track when things get challenging. Everyone sets out with the best intentions when they set goals, but some of us are more likely to achieve those goals than others (more on achieving your goals, here). Why is that? Well, it almost always has more to do with the goals themselves than the person setting them. This week, I wanted to look at some of the common mistakes people make when setting goals, along with some tips to avoid them:
Don’t Set Too Many
If you’re setting goals for yourself, then you’re almost certainly ambitious. This can sometimes translate to having a wide variety of goals you’re working toward at any given time. When it comes to goal setting, it’s important to think quality over quantity. The optimal number of goals is going to differ for each of us, but we all need to prioritize and tune into what’s most important. Reaching our goals — particularly the ambitious ones — takes time and focus; and the more thinly we spread ourselves, the less attention we can give to each one. There’s a balance, but you’ll need to experiment a little to find it.
They Can’t be Ambiguous
In the initial act of setting a goal, that goal can sometimes have a general and ambiguous shape; but it’s important to refine every goal to make it specific and measurable. Things like closing more deals, getting more exercise, making more money, etc., those are all vague desires that can eventually lead to great goals — but only if we take the time to clarify them. How many more deals do you want to close each month? And how long is it going to take to get there? Finding out what those specifics are will make your goals more reachable, and help you determine the best path to follow.
Don’t Neglect an Actionable Step
Let’s say you’ve come up with a clear, specific, and realistic goal. What’s the next step? This is where follow-through becomes so important. You need to give yourself a way to take action toward your goal. What can do you today? It can be either a small or big step — either works, as long as you know what the next best step is. In fact, if you can identify the next few steps you’ll need to take, that’s even better. You don’t need an elaborate strategy from beginning to end, just make sure that you have some actionable steps you can start taking right away.
There’s no point in setting goals if we can’t reach them, and avoiding these mistakes will increase your chances for getting there efficiently.
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