2010 A Sales Odyssey

Do you perpetually break new years’ resolutions? Maybe you struggle with setting goals, or perhaps you can set them with ease but fail to achieve them. If you’re a more visual person, the Dream Board technique may chart your journey to success in 2010. Story by Kirsty Spraggon.

"Whatever your goal is, you have to want it badly enough or there will be days when you will be in serious danger of giving up."

Space to create
I love my work so much that I often find it hard to stop and take a break, I really have to force myself. What’s great about this time of year is that we are forced to stop. Over Christmas and New Year most places shut up shop and it’s a time to be with your family and stop all the busyness and craziness that build up towards the end of the year. This forced time off is a great refresher as we prepare to start the year ahead and often I have found that in this space I have room to think. The space has allowed me to create and innovate, to think, reflect and plan. It has allowed me time to get off the high speed ride I am on and ask myself some questions like: What do I really want in 2010? Where do I want to go in 2010? Who do I want with me on the journey?

It allowed me time to get re-inspired about my goals and reflect on where I am heading; to get excited and have a renewed passion. Once I started I couldn't stop – ideas were flowing! I encourage you to use this time as the year starts up again to ask yourself these questions and allow the space to create your dreams for 2010.

The old adage says “if we fail to plan we plan to fail”. The beginning of a new year often causes us to pause and reflect, to perhaps make one or two new years’ resolutions but statistics are not in our favour, with most people never achieving their new years’ resolutions. This could be because most of them are made whimsically eg “I would like this or that” not out of a deep desire and passion to work hard to achieve it.

Whatever your goal is, you have to want it badly enough or there will be days when you will be in serious danger of giving up. The hard truth is that it can be a long, tough and very steep climb to the top. No one but you can do it and most days you will be going it alone without anyone there to push you up the hill (or carry your ‘baggage’ for you). Without the drive and determination to work hard and push through the tough times you simply won’t succeed. It’s about doing whatever it takes to achieve your dream, and doing it gladly. I read a wonderful article about a dedicated photographer lying in cow dung for two hours just to get the perfect shot. Sometimes that’s what it takes. Sacrifices will have to be made.

In order to be effective your goals must be in line with your values and honest desires. The definition of a value is: a principle, standard or quality desirable for maintaining a set of standards. Some examples of values a person might hold dear are: family, community, experiences, learning, money, religion, health, freedom, marriage, politics, charity.

Take some time to sit down and write a list of all the things you value and all the things you would like to achieve. It’s crucial to have balance here and not just focus solely on one area like career. Set goals in other important areas too such as: health, relationships, finance, spirituality.

My advice would be to go crazy. Write hundreds of goals down. The bigger the better – don’t hold back! Sometimes we think too much about how we are going to do it. But I’m a great believer
in the saying, “Think of the WHAT and the HOW will take care of itself.”

How to dream big: learn to stretch yourself
I have noticed lately that some people don’t even know how to create really big dreams for themselves. Now, my idea of ‘big’ may vary compared to Richard Branson’s or Donald Trump’s but really all you need to learn is how to make sure that you stretch yourself. This should feel uncomfortable. If not, your dreams may be too safe. Choose goals that – if you were to accomplish them – would really change your life for the better. Even if you miss out on your timeframe slightly you will still be getting ahead by working towards something desirable that you can measure.

The great Martin Luther King did not say, “I have a strategic plan” he said, “I have a dream.” As I am a very visual person I found that instead of writing my goals down I preferred to use a technique called ‘Dream Boarding’ which is where you take a large piece of cardboard and stick pictures of all the different dreams and goals you are wanting to achieve in the different areas of your life. In other words, you create a ‘Vision Board’. Dream Boards are a lot more fun than a business plan and can be a great way to involve the whole family in your goals and create one together as well as individually. The subconscious mind does not know the difference between what’s real and what’s not, so trick it into believing you are already living the life you dream of through visualisation. I stick my vision boards up on the back of the toilet door or the wardrobe in my bedroom. That way it is in my awareness every time I walk past and glance at it. Some amazing things have happened to me over the years I have been using them.