New Years Sytems?

     It’s that time again. We finally have come up for air after a busy holiday season with time for reflection. Yes those dreaded New Year’s Resolutions are upon us. This is the show I encourage all of you to set goals, to plan how next year is going to be better than last year and all that good stuff. Well this year I saw an interesting post on Entrepreneur.com about not setting goals at all. What? Not set goals? Where Millie is and what have you done with her? Hold up a minute and let me finish. The article explained how setting goals can be counterproductive, even downright self-sabotaging. How do we account at the end of the year for those goals not marked off our list? We feel guilty, defeated, like everything else we accomplished didn’t matter.

This is where systems come in. Systems are a beautiful thing. Many of you that have read my books know I am a big fan of systems. Why? Systems don’t fail, people do. So this article suggests instead of posting outrageous goals that we may never reach,  place systems in our life instead. 

What is the difference between goals and systems?  The author explains if you are a coach, your goal is to win a championship. Your system is what your team does at practice each day. If you are a chef, your goal is to be an award winning chef. Your system is to create exciting and creative dishes pulling together the best ingredients available. If you are a small business owner, your goal is to build a lucrative business. Your system is your sales and marketing process.

So what would happen if you ignored your goals and focused on your systems only? Would you still be successful? I remember when I was a regional manager for a manufacturer trying to increase market share and sales. Instead of hounding for numbers, I encouraged the sales consultants to help salons improve their business and increase clients. Inevitably, growing salons need to buy more products. Different system, same result.

 

      It is much like what I shared last year about becoming the person that has the goal you seek. What does a successful salon owner wear? What classes do they take? Who are they studying and what are they reading. What is their system for success?

The author goes on to share that setting goals can actually reduce your current happiness. We tend to get stuck in between and believe we won’t be happy or successful until we achieve my goal. Reduce the stress of the burden of the goal and commit to the process, not the goal.

Goals can actually hinder long term progress. Think about the runner who has the goal to run a marathon. What’s there to continue to motivate you once you have achieved the goal? We end up in a vicious cycle of working on a goal and not working on a goal, defeating forward progress. Goals can be short sighted. System based activities aren’t about hitting a particular achievement; they are about committing to the process.

Goals are not a bad thing; they can be motivating for planning progress. Systems actually make the progress happen. So in planning out what you want to improve this year implement systems into your daily life and commit to making them happen. Building an amazing business doesn’t happen overnight, it happens in the daily activities that move you forward.  So this coming year, commit to the process, because that’s smart marketing. Read the whole article here

Ready Set? 2013

 

     The year end review is always an interesting process. I looked at my blog post from last year and it was good, actually really good. As much as I am tempted to just repost it I had a little bit of a different angle this year. Sure everyone is asking what are your new years resolutions and I think that's where the trouble starts. Resolutions shouldn't be limited to one day or month a year. New years is actually one of the oldest holidays on record beginning with the Babylonians in March but changed to January by the Romans. January actually gets its name from Janus, the two-faced god who looks both backwards into the old year and forwards into the new. So we choose New Years as an opportunity to reflect on the past year and look forward to the year ahead. I take every January to asses where I am both personally and professionally. Did I move forward? Did I move backward? Did my goals shift or change along the way? Did I grow? As we set aside time to reflect on the past year look long and hard at your achievements and by all means celebrate them. It is so rewarding to check a goal off our list. Many times I find I have a few too many leftover resolutions at the end of my year.

      I used to beat myself up about that. But the thing that I have learned over the years is that hidden list. The things that weren't necessarily on the list that I achieved anyway. Those are the side benefits, the things that provide forward movement in spite of what may look like a non productive year. Was there anything Not on your list that you accomplished? Did you grow because of it? Forward progress is still forward progress in my book. Many suggest instead of setting goals try to become the person that already has achieved the goal. To act as if. What does a successful salon professional dress like? Act like? How do they spend their off time? Who do they have in their inner circle? What shows and classes do they attend? or teach? What are they reading, who are they learning from? Successful people leave a trail to follow, if you want to tag along. There is a plan, an actual structured way to achieve anything you may want. Instead of just writing down your goals write them down on purpose.  Choose all area of your life to achieve balance. Take the areas of BUSINESS FINANCIAL FAMILY LIFESTYLE MENTAL PHYSICAL SPIRITUAL and RELATIONSHIP. Write your three top goals in each category. Like for business you may want to Learn new skills, find a mentor, be a mentor, develop a mastermind group, take a class. Financial goals you may want to Start a savings plan, start investing, make a budget, pay off and cut up credit cards. Family goals you may want to begin “family days” , weekly suppers, visit family twice yearly, you get the picture. Make a top 10 list from each of these categories.



     Now here is the shift you have to make. You cannot WANT to do something or HAVE something, you have to BECOME what is necessary to attract what you desire. You can only have , be or do what is in equality with what you feel you are worthy of, deserve or have character in. Take your first goal and start your list. Ask yourself these questions Who do I have to become to achieve this? What actions would this type of person take? Then write down Step 1 Step 2 and Step 3 What other measures can I take to stay on course? How do I make sure these are SMART goals? SMART meaning Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time sensitive. Next Take ACTION. What can you do in the next 24-48 hours towards these goals. What can you do in the next 30 days? This is a great start to get you planning on purpose. With a specific action plan.  My wish for all of our amazing listeners is for 2013 to be the best year to come and with proper planning it will be! I'm finishing up details of sharing my goal setting plan so stay tuned.