What are your Growth Goals for 2008?

Between the leafless trees, knee-deep snow and seemingly never-ending grey skies, it can be difficult to think of anything growing at this time of the year. Yet while we may be months away from spring flowers outside, this is actually the perfect time to do a little growing on the inside!

When my brother and I were kids, we used to stare at the sky and ask each other how high we thought it went. Paul thought it was endless. I wasn’t so sure. To this day, I’m still intrigued by the thought that the universe is essentially endless. I often find myself wondering what else in our lives might be endless? How high could we all go, if we only allowed ourselves to really believe it was possible?

Think about your first few days in sales. Did you start out with the attitude that the opportunities for someone with your talent and expertise were nothing short of endless? Most of us did. That’s what got us where we are today. But where is that attitude now? Have the grim realities and daily tasks that go into making a business successful replaced the shout “how high can I go?” with the cry of “the sky is falling!”

Some days, this might feel like a more realistic summary of the challenges that come with building or running a business. The problem is, adopting a “sky is falling” mentality can severely limit potential growth for both you and your career. In a year where I suspect your income goals are higher than last year’s there’s simply no time to allow this kind of negative thinking to get in your way.

During my 15 years in sales, I have talked with many successful professionals who lament the loss of the excitement and energy they had when they were just starting out. Sure, they are successful and they still enjoy what they do. But many of them have lost some of the thrill they used to feel when it was time to work with new customers.

If this sounds familiar, ask yourself: what are your own goals for your business? Have you reached them? Do you have a 3- or 5-year plan? What is your exit strategy? Or are you just settling for whatever time and the marketplace bring your way?

Even if, to an outside observer, you might seem to be living the dream, it’s worth taking the time to ask yourself if the dream you’re currently living is the same as the one you had at the start of your career – when you were certain that nothing would ever hold you back. It’s easy to become complacent when you are earning what you wanted to earn this month, quarter or year. But who’s to say you couldn’t do just a little bit better this year than you did the last, if you set your sights just a little higher?

After all, 2008 is a leap year. That means a whole extra day to do something profitable with, and it’s a Friday to boot! So here’s my challenge for you this month. Find a way to get one more booking in February to grow your revenues higher than your February 2007 results. Or use the extra day to assess, reflect and plan your next move.

Find a comfortable, nurturing environment to reflect on your past goals, stretch into new goals and review your accomplishments. Think about where you wanted to be when you started out, and what you are going to do to get there this year. Ask yourself: what are your growth goals for 2008? And what are you going to do to make sure they come true?

Dedicated to increasing your sales

Colleen