Goals are BAD for you! Here’s why...

[Scot Howat]

Yes. I said it. It goes against the grain of popular real estate teachings. But having goals might be hurting your business. 

 I’m also a pessimist, if you couldn’t already tell. 

Let’s translate this. Your goal is to lift 100lbs over you’re head 10x. When you’re getting close to rep #9 and you’re trying to get that last rep in, what happens? You compromise. You allow bad technique to take over and risk injury (lowering your deal standards). Maybe you start taking shortcuts (possible doing illegal things, or shady business practices). Or maybe you just get discouraged and give up. 

 OK, so here’s the flipside. Let’s see you do finally get that 10th rep in. What do you do right after you hit it? You stop! Everybody stops once they hit their goal (then they make a new goal). How come you don’t do 11 or 12 or 13 reps if you’re able? Because you were thinking about 10. You do 10 and then you’re done until the next set. No one does more than what  is in their head (or written on paper). If you can do more, then do more. 

 Some days I can only do 5. And some days I can do 15. But if I have 10 that I am aiming for as my goal, then I’m either not living up to my potential, or I’m over stretching myself beyond what I am capable of and open myself up to make mistakes and compromise my standards. 

 The numbers are not the important part. The things that you do to get there is what’s important. It’s the journey that we should seek, not the end result.