COVID-19 has created the need for some advisors to modify their goals as they spent a lot of time and effort just trying to get through this difficult time. For others, there has been a varying degree of impact, from slight to severe.
Regardless of the extent of the impact, this might be a good time to review what you want to accomplish this week, month, quarter or year.
Focusing on Napoleon Hill’s quote above, think about the silver linings of this new, and hopefully temporary, way of life.
Many of us are still working and interacting with clients remotely, so how might that be leveraged for a greater good in the future?
- What flaws in your business processes have been exposed?
- What projects that stay at the bottom of your to-do list can you now take on?
- What changes can you make to your schedule to create a better work/life balance?
- In addition, during stressful times it is critical to maintain good health and a positive attitude. Do what works for you — exercise, meditate, reduce your consumption of negative news, etc.
- Be aware of your negative self-talk and monitor it. Substitute a positive affirmation whenever you catch yourself thinking of something negative.
- Maintain a deep-down belief that you will get through this and become stronger as a result.
FIRST STEPS
A good way to start to think about these questions and suggestions is to schedule time on your calendar to do so. This is time when you are working on your business and not in your business.
Here are some suggestions that can help:
1) Have Crystal Clear Goals — Perhaps the most important factor in achieving your goals is to develop the skill to write out your goals using very specific, clear and positive statements of what you want in your future. These statements need to be written in such a way that they are measurable and can be monitored and tracked on a concrete basis. You should also possess a deep desire to achieve them and have the utmost confidence in yourself that they are possible for you to achieve and you are worthy of achieving them.
2) Focus — Your life is complex, especially now. It is filled with many tasks and responsibilities. Your ability to separate the urgent tasks from the goal-achieving tasks will determine how successful you will be in achieving what you desire.
Here’s a “secret” question you can ask yourself each day to stay focused on attaining your goals: “What is the best use of my time today to move me closer to attaining my goal of…?”
I believe that now is the time to set many short-term goals that you can track. Completing each will give you positive reinforcement and the encouragement to continue.
3) Know the Score — Keep score of your progress towards your goals. Know what’s working and what isn’t and don’t be afraid to make modifications as necessary during these difficult times.
4) Have a Positive Outlook — We become the sum total of our thoughts, and we attract into our lives the manifestations of those thoughts. If you hold a positive outlook about your future and your circumstances, you will attract more positive results than negative ones. I’m not talking about wishing for something good to happen, but rather holding a positive expectation that by engaging in the correct activities consistently, you will produce the results you desire.
5) Ask for Help — Multiply your chances of success by asking for the help and support of others. Enlist the strengths of others to add to your strengths and natural abilities. Surround yourself with people who can support you and your desire to succeed. Seek the advice of people in business who have weathered other major storms and survived by talking to them, reading books about them or listening to them via audio programs.
