Setting and Achieving Goals: Tips for Doing It Well
As a real estate agent — an entrepreneur — goal setting is a critical part of your business planning. If you are looking to grow your business, you’ll need to clearly define goals and a plan of attack to move the needle on your success.
And while the process of setting and reaching goals isn’t rocket science, it is easier said than done. Here are some simple yet powerful tips to help you figure out what you want to achieve and how.
As a real estate agent — an entrepreneur — goal setting is a critical part of your business planning. If you are looking to grow your business, you’ll need to clearly define goals and a plan of attack to move the needle on your success.
And while the process of setting and reaching goals isn’t rocket science, it is easier said than done. Here are some simple yet powerful tips to help you figure out what you want to achieve and how.
Evaluate Where You Are
Many people jump right in with brainstorming and writing goals. But consider this: It’s helpful to reflect on your past and present circumstances before thinking about what’s ahead.
Ask yourself:
● What were your wins, experiences, and lessons learned over the prior year?
● What factors helped you to reach goals, and how can you harness those in the future? What kept you from achieving things you set out to do, and how can you minimize those hurdles?
● What are your current strengths and areas where you can improve? Also, what is the current environment like, and what resources do you have at your disposal?
Many people jump right in with brainstorming and writing goals. But consider this: It’s helpful to reflect on your past and present circumstances before thinking about what’s ahead.
Ask yourself:
● What were your wins, experiences, and lessons learned over the prior year?
● What factors helped you to reach goals, and how can you harness those in the future? What kept you from achieving things you set out to do, and how can you minimize those hurdles?
● What are your current strengths and areas where you can improve? Also, what is the current environment like, and what resources do you have at your disposal?
Look At the Forest AND the Trees
Once your self-reflection is complete, you’ll have more clarity on the big picture and the details.
● If you already have a vision, revisit it to see if it still holds true for what you want to achieve.
● If you don’t have a clear image of your future success, take time to envision where you want your business to be in three to five years so that you can create a roadmap to get there.
● When your vision is set, it’s time to develop an action plan. Set milestones — markers of your progress — and plot them on a timeline that leads to the result you seek.
● Break the milestones down further into action steps that will get you to these checkpoints.
Remember, SMART is Good and Less is More
Just as there are things you should do in setting goals, there are a couple of missteps to avoid:
Use the SMART framework:
● Be specific in wording and ensure your goals are measurable. Answer the question, “How will I know when it’s accomplished?”
● Make your goals a stretch, too, as you should always aim to improve. But keep them attainable. Stay rooted in reality to increase your chances for success.
● Pick goals that matter to you and are relevant to your business and your big picture. And keep yourself on track by making your goals time-bound. Include timeframes and deadlines.
● Here’s an example: Within one month, I will complete the online pre-licensing course offered by the
Ben Farmer School of Real Estate so that I am eligible to take the Georgia real estate salesperson exam.
Be Accountable to Yourself and Others
Once you’ve written down your goals and committed to an action plan, you’ve started the journey to your vision. But sticking to it is the hard part. That’s where accountability comes into play.
So, what does an accountability structure look like?
● Share your goals with three-five supportive people to create an answerable system that helps you stay on track.
● Choose an accountability buddy. This person could be a friend, colleague, or mentor. Their role is to encourage and guide you — and call you out when you are not on top of things.
● Integrate your goals into your digital life. Pick a goal-tracking app to help you stay organized.
Adapt and Carry On
As you carry out your action plan, analyze what’s working and what’s not. And keep in mind that you may need to modify your plan the way.
In the words of Zig Ziglar:
“When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal; you do not change your decision to get there.”
● Be flexible in your approach so that you can be responsive to unexpected opportunities.
● Regularly review your to-do list and longer-term plan and modify them as priorities change.
● Adjust your mindset as needed for new situations. Stay motivated and, most importantly, stay the course — whether it is the original one, Plan B, or Plan C.
Once your self-reflection is complete, you’ll have more clarity on the big picture and the details.
● If you already have a vision, revisit it to see if it still holds true for what you want to achieve.
● If you don’t have a clear image of your future success, take time to envision where you want your business to be in three to five years so that you can create a roadmap to get there.
● When your vision is set, it’s time to develop an action plan. Set milestones — markers of your progress — and plot them on a timeline that leads to the result you seek.
● Break the milestones down further into action steps that will get you to these checkpoints.
Remember, SMART is Good and Less is More
Just as there are things you should do in setting goals, there are a couple of missteps to avoid:
- Don’t go overboard on the number of goals you set. Doing so can dilute your focus.
- Don’t make your goals exceptionally hard to achieve because they are too ambitious, ambiguous, or poorly aligned with your broader objectives.
Use the SMART framework:
● Be specific in wording and ensure your goals are measurable. Answer the question, “How will I know when it’s accomplished?”
● Make your goals a stretch, too, as you should always aim to improve. But keep them attainable. Stay rooted in reality to increase your chances for success.
● Pick goals that matter to you and are relevant to your business and your big picture. And keep yourself on track by making your goals time-bound. Include timeframes and deadlines.
● Here’s an example: Within one month, I will complete the online pre-licensing course offered by the
Ben Farmer School of Real Estate so that I am eligible to take the Georgia real estate salesperson exam.
Be Accountable to Yourself and Others
Once you’ve written down your goals and committed to an action plan, you’ve started the journey to your vision. But sticking to it is the hard part. That’s where accountability comes into play.
So, what does an accountability structure look like?
● Share your goals with three-five supportive people to create an answerable system that helps you stay on track.
● Choose an accountability buddy. This person could be a friend, colleague, or mentor. Their role is to encourage and guide you — and call you out when you are not on top of things.
● Integrate your goals into your digital life. Pick a goal-tracking app to help you stay organized.
Adapt and Carry On
As you carry out your action plan, analyze what’s working and what’s not. And keep in mind that you may need to modify your plan the way.
In the words of Zig Ziglar:
“When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal; you do not change your decision to get there.”
● Be flexible in your approach so that you can be responsive to unexpected opportunities.
● Regularly review your to-do list and longer-term plan and modify them as priorities change.
● Adjust your mindset as needed for new situations. Stay motivated and, most importantly, stay the course — whether it is the original one, Plan B, or Plan C.
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