What is the Best Way for Life Insurance Agents to Set Goals?
Well, it’s different for everyone. I have met some very successful life insurance agents and entrepreneurs in the last decade and they all go about this task differently.
The key here is that “they all DO IT”.
Every successful person I know makes it a priority to sit down using one method or another and set their goals. So, if success is one of your goals, then setting your goals is a prerequisite.
Here are just 5 of the methods that I have heard work. Take your pick, or maybe use a combination of them…
Some people categorize: business, personal, family, money, health, etc.
I used to use this as the overriding structure because it’s the first approach I learned. I still use this to some extent, but secondarily. This is a good place to start if this is the first year you are actually putting some thought into this.
Some people attempt the blank slate, fresh blank page approach
This approach usually starts simply with a list of “what you want” and it ignores what has happen in the previous year. Personally, I’ve never made that work. I always have had lots of carry over. Work in Progress. Projects in Progress. Goals I haven’t hit on time.
Reconsider remaining and new items on my “ugly list”
This is the opposite approach to the “blank slate” approach. Here you start with a list of things about your business or life that you don’t like, that perpetually bug you, create stress, waste time, and get in the way. Their resolution or elimination equals goals. I think this statement will give you a good picture of what I am talking about here “It is easier to pull weeds than to grow flowers.” So, with this approach, you are setting your goals by first eliminating all the “weeds” in your garden.
Some people use the calendar heavily, as I do.
If you are anything at all like me, you already have lots of dates blocked off way in advance. This leaves a limited number “loose” days to be thought about. Then I divide by months, quarters, the halves, to note the goals to be accomplished by each end point. I might add, I rely very heavily on deadlines to get myself motivated and get my goals accomplished. I use the calendar to get things moved from the “TO DO” list to the “DONE” list all year long.
Most successful people I know make and constantly modify lists, one way or another. I’m mostly a legal pad guy. And I still have lists that I started years ago and continue to look at, delete from, add to, modify, etc.
No matter what approach or approaches you take to setting your goals, it is very very very important to write them down and to continually review them and monitor your progress towards them throughout the year.
Most significantly, this isn’t a once a year exercise, like “new years resolutions”. It is an ongoing, continuing, nearly daily process. |
