Small = Big

Happy New Year!

Let's talk about change.

Change comes in all kinds of forms. I am writing this post with reading glasses on, because my eyes have "changed". I think of our friends, there have been major changes -- two of our best friends, lost their mothers in 2008, one couple had a son get married, another one had a son become engaged, we had a son join the navy, two of us had sons graduate high school, when you think about it we had a lot of major changes in our lives and our friends lives.

You and your friends would be able to create a similar list of changes that stirs various emotions.

Your success in 2009 will be determined by much smaller, consistent changes. Here is a list of small changes that could lead to BIG results.

1. Drink two more 8 oz glasses of water per day. I am not a dietitian or doctor -- but everyone knows drinking more water is better for you. Instead of saying 100 ounces a day -- just make small consistent changes.

2. Make a list of three reasons why you enjoy your job, keep it in your vehicle, then look at it just before you go into work. If you truly can't create a list of three, then do yourself and your boss a favor and find another job.

3. Take the stairs, park 20 feet away from the store than you normally do, take the shopping cart to the corral, instead of just leaving it where you parked.

4. Try to make at least two people feel better about themselves each day. Use the sales clerks name, tell the person behind that the counter that they are doing a good job. If they are doing a bad job, nicely tell their manager.

5. Get up fifteen minutes earlier and read something motivational, or write an email or letter to friends or family, or exercise. You will be amazed what doing something early will help the rest of your day.

6. Hold your spouses hand every day, never miss an opportunity to kiss them.

This list may not include the change that you need to make. That is not the point, what you need to understand is small, consistent changes leads to results.

A sales associate told another manager and me their daily goals for the new year. On one hand, it was impressive. On the other, it would be like having a goal to start running six miles a day six days a week on your first week of training. I told the sales person to cut it by two thirds and if they were consistent with those tactics, they would change their lives.

There is something energetic about a new week, new month, new quarter, and especially a new year. However, without CHANGE, the new quickly wears off, the excitement goes away, and you start telling yourself things like I am not supposed to be in shape, no one in our family ever made big money -- why should I, what was I thinking? You continue to get the same OLD results and the old results lead to more of your old ways.

On the reverse, you make small changes in January -- and you realize that you make more small changes in February -- results lead to more changes which lead to more results -- there is nothing more motivational then success.

Happy New Year and good luck finding the change you need to make for a positive 2009. Stay Tuned.

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Hero or Zero?

It is the week of Christmas, whether we like it or not, we have either hit our goals for 2008 or we haven't. At this point, there is very little we can do. We are either a Hero or Zero.

Here are some simple recommendations for goal setting for the new year.

1. There is nothing more motivating than having to stretch for a realistic goal. Also, there is nothing more de-motivating than having a goal that feels like it is unobtainable. Do your homework, make sure that your goal didn't come out of your....left ear. What is your goal based on? Can you work that goal out on paper? If no, you are not going to hit it.

2. The time to start working on hitting your goal is now, not waiting until 3rd or 4th quarter. I once had a boss who wanted me to put a phone blitz together on Christmas Eve Morning to get us closer to our goal. Maybe if we would have had that type of push starting in January, we could have hit our goal that year.

3. Break the goal out. Remember, you eat an elephant a bite at a time. Break the goal down, would you rather have to sell 12 a month for 12 months or 144 for the year?

If sales person A has a goal of 144 sales, makes 12 in January -- that sales person can think, Wow all that work and I still have 132 sales to hit my annual goal, I can't do that.

If sales person B has a goal of 12 sales per month for 12 months and makes 12 in January -- they are pumped up and excited, because they hit their goal.

4. What steps do you need to work on to get better? Ask your boss, ask your best clients, ask somebody. What do I need to work on to be better at my job in 2009? Maybe it's better service. More cold calls. Better relationship with your co-workers. Remember you can't do the same job, with the same effort, and expect a different outcome.

Good luck in 2009 -- here's to all of us hitting our goals and being heroes. Stay Tuned.