The Relationship Edge: The Key to Strategic Influence and Selling Success, Third Edition

Chapter 11. WRITE CLEAR, SPECIFIC GOALS

Few people have clearly defined and articulated goals, exact statements of desired end results. Most have never said, "I will achieve this," whether "this" is a personal or a business accomplishment. Most have never thought through what they truly want to achieve, nor do they know what they could realize if they were to have clear, written goals, which are not simply "to do" items but would be significant achievements.

A 1952 survey of graduating Yale seniors found only 4 percent had clearly defined, written goals. Twenty years later, a survey of the same group found that the 4 percent with goals had a greater net worth than the other 96 percent combined. To learn if this were a fluke, a duplicate study was conducted in 1971 of Harvard graduating seniors. Again, 4 percent had goals, 96 percent didn't. Ten years later, the 4 percent who had goals were on average earning 10 times more a year than the 96 percent who did not have goals. While money is not the only or necessarily the best test of accomplishment, it is relatively easy to measure. But whatever your measure, you can't reach a goal you haven't set.

You first have to establish that whatever you really want, you can have. It has to be within the realm of human possibility; I'll talk about that in a moment. If a blind 17-year-old can learn to race down mountains at 60 miles an hour, you can probably reach your goals, even if at first they seem equally outrageous.

If you want a strong relationship ...