goals

The first month of 2020 is already over and it was a great one in my practice. Business was fabulous, patient satisfaction was high and we exceeded our goals. But what does that really mean? In the youth of my business, an increase in revenue meant being able to pay off some debt or the ability to purchase new equipment or even being able to plan a vacation or to buy a new pair of shoes. And now, many years later, a goal that is met or exceeded has become just a number and sometimes, I wonder, “What’s the point?” I can eat and afford to keep the doors open and employ a large staff even if we don’t hit those goals, at least for a while anyway. So why should I spend the time watching the numbers so closely? What do they really mean to the business and to Me? I guess the answer to that question all depends on my Why. Have you spent any time lately thinking about why you do what you do? Do you look forward to going to work or do you dread Mondays?

I attended the Starkey Expo in January and it was an amazing meeting. Of course, Las Vegas is always fun but this experience was different. I listened to the inspirational speakers and their stories and one thing became very clear to me– Success isn’t about Chasing the Numbers, it’s about Living your Passion.

The outstanding speakers inspired me and I came back with a renewed sense of purpose for what I do and I began some soul searching for my Why. Being the competitive person I am, working has always been about achieving and accomplishing. Of course, I care about helping people hear better and doing the best job possible but what is my real passion? I have always believed that anything is possible and that people can live their dreams but sometimes I am so busy Chasing the Numbers that I forget my Why.

After some time for reflection and some internal exploration, I better understand my Why. Better hearing is essential to communication and as I get older and my time on this earth gets shorter, I understand that every conversation matters. My husband has a moderate hearing loss and every time he asks “What?” and I respond, “Oh, never mind” it puts a little space between us. Of course, he wears the best hearing aids available but we all know that hearing aids are just one part of the solution. He still has to listen twice as hard as anyone else and pay very close attention to be able to understand. When the noise in a restaurant causes him to be left out of a conversation and I see that blank look in his face, I long for even better technology and want to make certain his fitting is providing the best hearing possible.

Through this recent soul searching I have discovered that my Why is that I always want to provide the very best care I can to help patients hear as well as they can to live the best life they can. That passion is my Why.

**So, what is your Why?**

I like GOALS. I have always believed that goals help people reach their potential. If you don’t know where you are going, chances are you may actually get there.

Are you happy with where your business is going? Are you happy with what you “take home” for all the work you do? If not, it’s time to set some goals! I set a huge goal for my practice for April and we finally hit the goal at 4:35pm on the last day of the month. Not only did I set the goal, but I actually believed that it was attainable! The staff was a bit skeptical as the clock ticked by and the schedule did not show much promise for any additional revenue but I absolutely never doubted that we would reach the goal. Sure enough, a check arrived and we not only hit the goal, but we exceeded it! 4:35pm on April 30 what seemed to be an unattainable vision became a reality.

Some of my friends and colleagues think I’m a bit overly obsessed with goal setting but for me, goals help drive me and my business. A key reason many people don’t set goals is that they don’t spend enough time thinking about what they really want. They are absolutely content with letting the “chips fall where they may”. Goal setting can serve as a powerful motivator to turn what seems like an outrageous vision into a reality. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts and can spend time directed at very specific activities designed to help you achieve your goal.

The process of goal setting can force us to think through our desires and motivate us to work harder to get what we really want out of life. The key to goal setting is that the goals should be specific and measureable. I have had a goal for at least ten years to “lose some weight”. I’ve lost “some” alright – the same five over and over again. You can’t measure what isn’t specific.

Of course, the goal of any business is to be profitable. Written goals help keeps things on track. At the end of each month, I review my numbers and compare where I wanted to be with where I am. If business is off track, I dig in and determine what I need to do differently next month to reach my goals.

Most people set their goals way too low because they are afraid of “failure”. Hey, you can never reach for the stars if you are too afraid to stretch. My Mother used to say that I was the girl who wanted it all! She was right and I always believed that any star was reachable if you worked hard enough and believed you could get there. If you dream it, you can achieve it.

Most people have goals that they would like to accomplish in life. Perhaps it’s getting into better shape, building a successful business, raising a wonderful family, writing a best-selling book, or winning a sports challenge. Don’t be afraid to Go For It!

It’s a new month! Set some specific and measureable goals for May and then put every effort forward to achieve them. I bet you will be amazed at what you are truly capable of.

Tag: goals

What’s the point?

**So, what is your Why?**

Do you have a GOAL?