Aim Small When Setting Goals

Achieve success on a daily basis and the rest will follow

I recently came across an article from one of my favorite publishers OUTSIDE Magazine about peak performance. We often think of the giants in the sports or business world when we think of peak performance, but we all can achieve it. The key is that you don’t have to the best in the world but aim to reach your fullest potential.

In my experience, the best way to achieve peak performance is to set small manageable goals and strive every day to achieve them.

I once ran a regional sales team for one of the largest magazines in the world. We had a goal of more than $100m annually. Thinking about making that $100m could give you lots of sleepless nights. But our boss (shoutout to Paul Caine) would remind us to break this down into small achievable goals.

Examples of these goals were:

• Get 15 sales calls a week

• Reach out to 50 clients a day

• Create at least one proposal a week

If we achieve these small weekly goals, the rest would take care of itself. And you know what? He was right.

Today I apply that same goal-setting method to my own business and life.

I have daily and weekly goals and try not to focus on longer terms. They include some of the following:

• Meditate and exercise daily

• Reach out to 25 clients a day

• Try to close one business deal daily

Do I succeed daily? Nope. But I get damn close. And I can tell you that hitting my monthly revenue goals, becoming a better painter, artist, father and husband becomes that much more achievable.

So remember, think and act small and you’ll increase your chances of winning big.