1. Honesty with yourself. You have to know your limits - what you can and can't do under normal circumstances. If you haven't been making "cold calls" and you create a goal to make 200 this week, you're probably fooling yourself. The goal may be specific, measurable and attainable, but it's not realistic. Although you're capable of making 200 calls, chances are you won't make those calls pay off until you establish an appropriate "call rhythm" and have sufficient experience dealing with the folks you get on the line. You'll likely need a good sales process in place should you begin to (God forbid!) show some signs of success. Plus, do you really want to make those calls without some ongoing training and coaching so you don't destroy your chances with the people you talk to? So be honest with yourself and take baby steps. Making five or ten calls a day might be a more realistic alternative, and would be a good balance between efficiency and efficacy. Plus, it would give you time for reflection and improvement.
2. Honesty with the world around you. Simply put, don't look at your prospects and circumstances with rose-colored glasses. Don't be naive about what's normal and what's human nature. Setting a goal to "make ten calls and have sales conversations with eight people" won't be likely. Some people will probably be away from their desks or too busy to talk to you at the time you call. Another example: If your "close ratio" is approximately one out of five, don't set a goal to close three out of five. Try challenging yourself to close one out of four. Once you've been able to attain that performance increase, go ahead and try for one out of three or three out of ten.

So go ahead and challenge yourself. Set goals that will stretch you, but that don't distort reality. That will just serve to frustrate and disempower you.

Send any questions, comments, stories, or sales problems to dan@optimumbizdev.com, and I'll personally send you a response!