Setting Goals

As some of you know (and some of you don't) I am an independent consultant for Tastefully Simple (For more information check out my website. ;0) www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mmiller13 ) I've been working that business for 9 months and I LOVE IT! Already I've won a 4 day trip to Cancun Mexico (all inclusive) with my sales. I had to have $18,000 in sales ($2000 per month) Jan 1st - Sept 30st. I hit the 18,000 mark last month. The number one reason that I was successful in doing so was because I set goals. Every month that I've set goals for myself in my business I have succeeded. I haven't always hit the goal exactly but I've hit more than I've missed and I've gotten darn close. One month I didn't set any goals and I didn't even clear the $2000 mark. Something that is pretty easy if I'm completely honest. My focus was nowhere AND that's exactly where I ended up.

It didn't take long to figure out what had gone wrong in my business that month. It was quite simple to see. At that point I made myself a promise to always set goals for my business: Yearly, Monthly and even weekly. So far I've had great success.

Thinking about that has made me realize that I MUST set some goals for myself in this competition. One of my favorite sayings (you'll probably hear it about a BILLION time) is "It's better to aim for the moon and miss than to aim for a cow pie and HIT IT!" SO TRUE RIGHT. One of my Tastefully Simple team mates said to me... "You know Mindy! If you aim for the moon and miss you'll still hit a star!"

I came across this document at work the other day and I loved what it said so I thought I'd share. Check it out and then if you haven't already GO SET SOME GOALS!!!

When it comes to dealing with life’s setbacks, you must step up to the plate and be proactive. Look your problem in the eye and take action.Having a plan can help you stay on track. The following tips can serve as a guide to reaching your goals:

• Be specific. When setting goals, be exact and you are more likely to succeed. For example, instead of saying you want to save money, set a specific goal to save $20 per week.

• Put it in writing. Write down what you want to achieve and post it in a visible place to remind you what you’re working toward. Use positive terms. For example, instead of writing, “I will stop eating junk food,” re-word your goal: “I will make healthy food choices.” (I love that... how often do we focus on the negative instead of the positive? I know I do ALL THE TIME)

• Set realistic goals. When you think about setting goals, make sure that they are within reach. Be mindful of your finances, schedule and other personal affairs. It’s unreasonable to expect to make big changes overnight. (I think this is so true. I also believe that you must stretch yourself when you set goals. If you only set your goals for what you know you can do easily then there is no challenge in that.)

• Develop an action plan. Create a timeline with specific steps and timing. Cross them off as you go. Sometimes watching your list get smaller can give you a sense of accomplishment and help you stay motivated. (This comp helps with this. We have an established timeline with several checkpoints. What is your monthly goal? What is your overall goal?)

•Believe in yourself. Stay positive about your progress. As the saying goes, “If you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” (Another favorite. I've heard it, "Think you can or think you can't. Either way you're right!)

• Be flexible. Setbacks happen. Don’t give up. Try again! Your hard work will pay off! (YUP! That one's for me)

• Ask for help. If you need encouragement, don’t be afraid to ask. You’d be surprised at how supportive people can be. (Another great thing this comp does. BLOG! Not just "Hi. I'm here. Checking in." Talk to us!!! Tell us how you're doing. The good, the bad and the ugly. That's one of the reasons we're in this. To support each other along the way~)

• Reward yourself. Acknowledge your achievements, even the small ones. Reaching a goal takes hard work. Be proud of your efforts.Celebrating can mean something as simple as taking time for yourself. (Reward yourself DOES NOT mean EAT ICE CREAM! I'm just saying!)

Having a clear plan can help you weather the biggest and smallest of storms. Setting goals puts you back in charge.