Many people like to kick off the new year with a resolution or two. Unfortunately, these resolutions are usually abandoned by summer – if they even last that long. According to Business Insider, 22 percent of people think it’s OK to give up on their New Year’s resolutions by the end of February.
If you’re like many insurance agents, you probably have some big sales goals for 2020. Don’t give up on these goals! Set yourself up for success by using proven goal-setting strategies.
1. Focus on What You Can Control
The first step toward achieving your goals is picking goals that are actually achievable. Try to pick goals should focus on things that are 100 percent within your control.
You can’t control whether a prospect decides to sign on the bottom line. You can’t control how much traffic your website gets. You can’t control what other people say, think or do.
So what can you control? You can control how many referrals you request. You can control whether you update your website and keep your social media active. You can control how many carriers you apply to contract with. You can control the number of events you host and seminars you attend. In short, you can control the things YOU do.
You may have a sales goal, and that’s fine. But when working toward this goal, think about the actions and habits that will help you succeed – the things that you control.
2. Don’t compare yourself to others.
Theodore Roosevelt said that comparison is the thief of joy.
When we compare ourselves to others, we tend to get disappointed. This isn’t because everyone is doing better than us. They’re not. Some people are doing better, sure, but other people are having a much harder time. We just don’t tend to focus on those people. And even the people who seem to be doing better probably aren’t living perfect lives. It only seems that way from the outside.
Don’t try to be better than someone else. Instead, try to be better than you were before. How did you do in 2019? How can you improve in 2020? Think about these questions when you create your goals.
3. Reward Yourself
Success may be its own reward – but you may need a few more rewards along the way.
Rewards can be used in different ways. For example, you might reward yourself with an episode (or several) of your favorite television show after you accomplish your goals for the week. This sort of reward can help you stay on track.
You can also create bigger rewards for major milestones that you hit. This sort of reward can motivate you keep working hard, even after the excitement around New Year’s has worn thin.
4. Find a Support Group
Comparing yourself to others can be destructive, but this doesn’t mean you should isolate yourself. Find a group of supportive friends or colleagues. You can push each other to succeed, celebrate each other’s victories and vent about the problems you face.
PTT Financial is like a professional support group – we support a community of Texas agents who are all striving to build their careers, serve their clients and live their lives in the best way possible. Want to learn more? Come to a Thursday Meet and Greet or download our Careers Information Sheet.
