It’s great when success falls in your lap – but that rarely happens. Most of the time, you have to work hard to achieve your goals. Use these goal setting tips to start working toward your dreams in the New Year.
1. Think about what really matters to you.
It’s easy to always just focus on growing bigger and doing better, but this mindset won’t necessarily lead to professional satisfaction. Think about it: if your goal is simply to do MORE, how will you ever achieve it?
Think about what matters to you. For example, are you trying to:
- Develop a reputation as a smart, responsive insurance agent?
- Make a difference in your clients’ lives?
- Increase your income to support personal financial goals?
- Build an agency that you can pass onto someone else or sell?
2. Select your goals.
Once you’ve identified your priorities, take time to assess what went right and wrong in the past year. Are there opportunities for better training, marketing, tech tools and processes?
Now, focus on selecting three to five goals that close the gaps, capture new opportunities and align with the priorities identified in Step #1. It’s important to keep your plan simple. If you set too many goals, it can be overwhelming. Brainstorm several ideas and then focus on a handful of goals that will make the most impact.
For example, if your goal is to increase your range of client services, consider earning your Registered Social Security Analyst (RSSA) certification. This will give you the expertise you need to help clients navigate Social Security decisions.
If your goal is to increase your income by 25% in 2025, you may want to increase your average number of products per client, by offering life insurance, annuities, and ancillary products. In addition, you could focus on prospecting for at least 10 hours every week to gain more clients, and to personally reach out to five existing clients weekly to boost your customer retention rates.
Some agents set one-year, three-year and five-year goals. Others feel that five-year goals are no longer relevant in our fast-paced and ever-evolving world. On the other end of the spectrum, some agents set quarterly goals to give themselves an increased sense of urgency and focus. There’s no right or wrong method – choose the approach that feels most effective for you.
3. Break your goals down into specific tasks.
At this point, you have a clear goal that will bring you closer to a personal achievement, but you still need to devise an actionable plan. To do this, break your goals down into specific, step-by-step tasks.
For example, if you’ve decided to get your RSSA certification, you’ll need to sign up for a class, complete a program that takes around 15 to 25 hours, study, and pass an exam. Also consider what you’ll do once you have the certification, such as updating your website, social media profiles, and business cards.
Alternatively, if you plan to win more clients, determine how many more clients you need and the specific tasks you will need to take.
4. Schedule time to work on your goals and your business.
In January, it may seem like you have plenty of time to achieve your goals for the year. However, the year will be halfway over before you know it. Suddenly, you’re busy preparing for the next AEP.
Procrastination is the enemy of success. To avoid procrastination, it’s important to schedule time to work on your business and specifically on the activities that will lead you to goal achievement.
Schedule all the needed steps on your calendar so they stay at the top of your mind. For example, you may want to block out the first two hours of every day to work on executing your plans—and schedule month-end goal reviews to assess your progress and recommit to your plan.
5. Assess and adjust as needed.
No matter how well you plan, you may fail to achieve your desired results. For instance, a family emergency may mean you’re unable to devote as much time to marketing as you had expected.
No matter what happens, the important thing is not to give up. If something isn’t working according to plan, pivot and regroup. Determine what’s going wrong and adjust your strategies and timelines as needed at the end of every month.
All of us at Western Asset Protection are committed to supporting your success in 2025 and beyond. If you need more support, contact the Western Asset Protection team. Contact us today.