On this first Monday of the second month of the year, it’s time for a gut check. First we need to check where we are against our new year goals. Next we need to take stock of our first month sales performance and make adjustments.
We’re just a little more than 30 days away from our new year intentions, resolutions, and goals. A month ago, we set out into the new year with hope and ambition that this year would be our best ever and that we’d make positive lasting changes in our lives.
It’s Easy to Slip Off the Track
You’ll remember that discipline is sacrificing what you want now for what you want most. But as time goes by and sticking with new habits gets more challenging, it’s easy to forget what motivated us to make the changes in the first place. It’s easy to let down our guard and go back to our comfort zone.
The farther away we get from our intentions, the more likely it is that we allow our discipline to slip and get off track. It’s just human nature.
Small Slips in Discipline Can Add Up Quickly
Let’s say you kicked off the new year determined to have your best sales year ever, and you knew that meant filling your pipeline daily by getting Fanatical about Prospecting. But upon reflection, you realize that days have passed since you picked up the phone, knocked on a door, or talked with customers.
You’ve been making excuses to avoid the very activities that move you closer to your goals.
I’ll admit that it happened to me just this past week. This month has been non-stop travel — 12 flights, 10 cities, 8 keynotes, 5 full days delivering training to sales teams. Toward the end of the week I got tired, made excuses, and let my exercise and nutrition routine slide.
This was something I promised myself I wouldn’t do when the year started. I know that if I don’t stop right now and recommit to my goals, then there is a good chance that I’ll continue down this negative path — because it’s easy.
Revisit Your Goals and Resolutions
This is exactly why NOW is a good time for a gut check and a look in the mirror. Pause and carve out time today, to revisit your goals, resolutions, and intentions.
Sit down and think about what you decided to achieve back in early January. Visualize what it was that motivated you. Picture what you want most and where you want to be at the end of this year.
Go back and re-listen to the Money Monday episodes on building a personal business plan, reflection vs. regret, and why personal goals are essential for sales discipline.
Then recommit to your goals. Remember the feelings you had when you set them, and make an intentional decision to get back on track.
Evaluate Your First Month’s Performance Against Your Sales Goals
Next, step back and evaluate your first month’s sales performance. As you do, you’ll likely find one of three scenarios:
You Crushed It – You had a killer month and blew your goals out of the water.
You Were Average – You hit quota or did “okay,” but you know you’re capable of much higher performance.
You Bombed – You missed your number and ended the month worse than you hoped.
Great Sales Month
If You Crushed it, and you’re on the top of the ranking report fantastic, congratulations!
But be very careful not to let off the gas. It’s likely you worked very hard last month to achieve these results. There will be the temptation to take a breather.
Trust me, if you do, this complacency will come back to bite you.
Now is the time to recommit to doing the activity that fueled your success last month so you don’t end up with a lackluster February and a disastrous March.
In other words, you’ve set the foundation for a huge year, take advantage of what you have accomplished and keep the pedal to the metal!
Average Sales Month
If you had an average or just OK month — maybe you hit quota, maybe you came close, but you know you’ve got more in the tank — then it’s time for some honest self-reflection.
Ask yourself:
