Keys to Successful Goal Setting in 2009 
 
It's January, the time when everyone seems to be enthusiastically charging toward their goals for the New Year. But did you know that there are many ways to ensure that your goals for 2009 (and beyond) won't end up as empty, unaccomplished resolutions? Thousands of experts at www.ezinearticles.com offer detailed guidance on a countless range of subjects. Here's a general overview of their suggestions for how you can successfully set and achieve your goals.
 
Follow the SMART principles. This is one of the most memorable, popular and effective techniques for goal setting. SMART is an acronym which stands for:
Specific - Your goal must be specific enough that you can formulate a detailed plan of action.
Measurable - You must be able to measure whether you're making progress toward your goal.
Attainable - You must believe that you have the skills and attitude to accomplish your goal.
Relevant - Your goal must be compatible with your other goals and your larger life plan.
Timely - Your goal must include incremental and final timeframes to help you stay on track.
 
Start broad then get specific. You have to decide what goal you want to achieve before you can detail the steps to get there.
 
Write down your goals and communicate them to others. Writing goals down will help you visualize and commit to them; sharing them with others will help generate support.
 
Express your goals positively. Focusing on what you want to happen, not what you want to leave behind, will help keep you motivated and prevent you from beating yourself up.
 
Understand your motivation. Figuring out the driving force behind your goals can help prevent self-sabotage and wasted energy.
 
Create an atmosphere that supports your success. Surround yourself with things that remind you of why or how you want to achieve your goal; conversely, if you are trying to give up a habit, remove anything that reminds you of that habit from your surroundings.
 
Set priorities. Because some goals will require more time, energy and resources than others, setting priorities can help keep you focused and prevent frustration.
 
Tie your short-term goals to your long-term goals. You will be more likely to accomplish incremental goals if they tie into your bigger goals and your overall life plan.
 
Plan and follow through on your rewards and punishments. Goals are easier to accomplish when you hold yourself accountable along the way.
 
Revisit and refine your goals as necessary. Review your written goals and the steps taken to achieve them on a regular basis; don't be afraid to make adjustments to help keep yourself on track and ensure your ultimate success.
 
Learn from past failures then let go of them. Realize that 2009 is a fresh opportunity to set new goals, revise old goals, and develop new and successful ways to achieve them all. Learning more about the concepts in this article by visiting www.ezinearticles.com is an excellent way to celebrate the New Year!  


 

Sales or Service?

For years, you have probably studied sales techniques, created flawless marketing packages, and learned how to overcome virtually every objection with seamless transition. Even so, you may have a nagging feeling that your business could be a bit better than it currently is--if you could only figure out what's missing from your equation.  Well, maybe you're looking at things from the wrong perspective. First and foremost, we tend to think of ourselves as sales people. However, what many of us forget is that we are also service people.  

Let's face it, these days clients are more demanding, less tolerant and savvier than ever! Clients now have greater access to information that used to be available only to agents. Because of this, they now demand more than just basic service. They demand to be treated like they know the market (and often they do), they demand to know what you will do differently than other agents, and they demand to know what is going on throughout the process so that they can stay informed.

1. www.Mindtools.com-  This website is fantastic for helping you think of all the facts of your life. Here you can work on everything from memory improvement to leadership and communication skills.
2. www.DeliverFreedom.com -  This site is dedicated to helping business people set and achieve goals. They offer seminars as well as tips and advice online. Tons of useful forms and infomation are available here.

We hope these sites will help you refine your sales and service techniques and goals as you progress through 2009. Happy New Year!