Choose Inspirational Goals

Sometimes my blog posts are an extension of what is in A Chip Off The Block. This time it takes one idea to a whole new level.

If you aren’t in the mood for what may be considered a rant, X out now – this post is probably not safe.

For my entire sales career, other people have told me what my “goal” is each month – you know that sales revenue or margin dollar amount they decide on.

• Having been them I know that individual salesperson goals are partially the trickle down affect (organizational revenue goal/number of salespeople with a little voodoo thrown in = individual sales goals).
• I also remember thinking that the VP and Director of Sales put post-it notes with numbers on them stuck to the wall… turned off the lights… and threw darts to pick my goal. Some months, I even thought they had a few drinks first.

Being a control freak – I decided that I’d had enough – not of sales, but of waiting for other people to decide what my goals were. Instead of waiting for someone else to pick my goal, instead I figured out what I wanted and then backed it up into a sales production figure.

What do I mean by Inspirational?

Take a deep breath for just a second and bear with me. Most of my blog posts are step by step,  tactical approaches and this is a bit on the metaphysical side.

There must be SOMETHING in your life that you are passionate about. I truly don’t  think it matters what it is (kids, god, your hamster) as long as you have passion for it.

Now ask yourself what it would be like if the passion you have fills your life and work? That you can tie in what you do for a living – to what you live to do. DON’T STOP READING HERE.

I’ll give you a stories before I lose your attention all together.

Chris’s Inspiration

Chris, a salesperson who was a coaching client of mine for a time had a dream of owning his own home theater installation company. Yet here he was “stuck” in a 8 to 5 sales gig so his family could have health insurance and security.

That was when I asked him “what if you looked for how coming to work every day helps you move closer to your inspiration?”

At first, he couldn’t see any connection – then we started talking and here is what came out:

1. the health insurance was only until his kids all went to school and his wife went back to work – that was about 5 years away so seemed like forever.
2. there were several “sales” skills that would be critical to his success as a small business owner – that he could focus on using daily.

The next day Chris came into work and looked for opportunities to hone the skills he would need to be a successful business owner. Shockingly (to him not me!) his sales started increasing and his 9 to 5 job success increased beyond what he thought possible.

Now those 5 years have passed and he is in a better financial position than he ever imagined to keep his family secure while quitting his “day job” to pursue his inspiration.

Don’t Wait for someone to TELL you what your goals “should” be figure out what your inspiration is and create them yourself!