For many people there is a disconnect between setting a goal in January and actually seeing it through to December. Recruiters and entrepreneurs tend to have big appetites and want to push themselves to excel. Aiming high is a good thing but often these goals start to lose their luster as the year wears on. And, once they start to seem unrealistic, many people become discouraged, giving up on them altogether.
One of the reasons for this is we often set too many goals. Most of us only have the bandwidth to focus, really focus, on a small set of objectives. What would it be like if you only had one goal for the next twelve months?
I witnessed the power of fewer goals in my accountability group one year. I have two partners in my group, Ron and Tom (not their real names). Tom set a lot of goals, around 10 if I remember correctly. Ron on the other hand set just two goals. Ron was focused like a laser all year, and the two goals he picked were very meaty and would make a big impact if achieved. In the end (as you can probably guess) Ron achieved 100% of his goals while Tom only achieved around 40% of his.
If you have trouble staying focused and motivated, try shrinking the number of goals you have. Ask yourself, “What one goal, if achieved, would mean that my entire year was a success?” See if you can set just one goal for the next 12 months and if that’s not possible, set a maximum of three and see what the extra clarity does for your productivity and sense of calm.
Sniffing for gold within your niche
I just finished typing an email to a coaching client and after finishing it, I thought it may have value for some of you as well. Robert (not his real name) is a past one-to-one coaching client who is starting sessions with me again, and he contacted me in a panic regarding his market. He’s actually had a good year, but he’s worried about potential changes in his market over the next 12 months. You can see my email to him below. See if my advice regarding “sniffing for gold” pertains to you as well.
Hey Robert,
I received your prep form and am glad to be working with you again. I know things may look sketchy out there but I want to assure you that there are lots of recruiters making placements in this market. Remember, you only need two deals per month to do well and that’s very doable.
Prior to our first session, please make a list of exactly where all of your placements have come from over the last 12 months in terms of:
- Which clients have you made a placement with?
- Which job titles have you placed?
- What industries did you make placements with?
Please email this list to me, and be ready to discuss it when we speak, as we want to uncover any thread of gold that may be right under your nose.
Also start asking clients and candidates if there are any slivers within (or outside of) your current niche that are hot or heating up. In nearly every industry there is a segment within it that is hiring. You may need to recruit a different title within that industry (example: auditors instead of accountants), but that’s fine as long as you’re making placements.
There are placements to be had – you just need to spend more time sniffing them out. Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.
Gary