I am sick of goals and goal experts. You know, the people that spam you around the first of the year proclaiming they are the ones who can help you get to the next level. They have the magic goal achievement formula.

All you have to do to achieve your goals is pay the sender of the email.

I am not an expert at setting goals. Rather, Im an achiever.

To me goal is the wrong word. It tells me theres something I HOPE or SEEK to achieve. I think you should call them the achievements Im striving for, and intend to make happen. Whoa! That sounds like a whole different (better) process.

The reason most goals are not met is simple: Starting with the goal is wrong. Making the goal is the middle of the process.

BIG PICTURE: BEFORE YOU MAKE A GOAL, YOU NEED INFORMATION, AND YOU NEED TO DEFINE YOUR OWN REALITY.

Heres the achievement formula and process that will work

Before you make a goal, first define and write down whats happening in your life at this moment.

What is my present situation? Ask yourself (and write down the answers): Whats happening in my life? Whats happening in the lives of others that may affect me? Whats happening at my job and in my career? Whats going on in my family?

What is my present status? What are my skills? My capabilities? My shortcomings? What are the things I need to work on? What is my experience level? Hows my health? Whats my demeanor? How positive is my attitude?

What are my opportunities this year? What is available for me to grasp, accomplish, or achieve in both career and life? FYI: If youre facing major change, maybe you should redefine it as opportunity. If you do, youll see the other side of the picture.

What are my objectives? Whats been on my mind to do? What do I want to make happen?

What are my needs? What do I gotta do whether I like it or not?

What are my desires? What do I really wanna do?

What are my intentions? Am I writing down a 20-year dream, or am I dedicating myself to the tasks necessary to get something achieved in a short space of (defined) time?

What are my beliefs? How strong do I believe in my company? My product? My service? Do I believe I can differentiate myself from others? Do I believe that my customer is better off purchasing from me?

Second, you write down what achievements youd like to make:

What have I been thinking about? What are my dominant thoughts? What are my thoughts Id like to turn into achievements?

What have I ALWAYS wanted to do?

What am I willing to do? If I make a goal, am I willing to actually do the work to make it happen?

Whats the time requirement? If I make a goal, do I have the time to achieve it? Am I willing to allocate the time?

What am I willing to sacrifice in order to achieve? (Give up bacon? Beer? TV?)

What are the barriers? What are the obstacles Im facing? Can I overcome them alone or do I need help? If so, who?

Whats my level of dedication? What has been my history of achievement?

Whats my attitude toward doing? Am I gung ho or ho hum?

Whats my date to start? Pick a firm date. Document it.

Whats my plan of action? What do I need to do every day? Whats my daily dose?

Whats my expected date of achievement? Pick a firm date. Document it.

Whats my plan to celebrate? Wheres the party? When is the party? Who is coming?

What are my outcome expectations? What do I believe will happen AFTER achievement? How will that affect my life?

Get the picture?

Theres a heck of a lot that goes into the achievement process. Setting the goal is just one small part of it. Thats why I substitute the word goal for the word achievement.

You have ideas, you have dreams, you have aspirations, you have desires, and you have needs. And now you have a full-blown plan of understanding and attack. BUT the plan alone will not work without the secret ingredient: Your hard work.

In my years of achievement, hard work has always been my secret weapon. Make it yours.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

2012 All Rights Reserved. Dont even think about reproducing this document without written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer. 704/333-1112