It is that time of the year when we look at what we achieved and what we had expected of ourselves. See where we perfomed strong and identify our weaker areas so we can improve on them. Contrary to the negative sites, not achieving a goal doesn't mean you failed (as in you are a failure). It just means you didn't achieve your goal. Some believe that setting goals are bad. I don't agree. To improve and grow in any aspect of life we need to stretch and improve our skills and keep learning. Something as basic as being a new parent, for example. Things may be done very differently with the second child than the first because the parents now have experience and are better prepared to handle different situations by the time baby #2 comes along.
To set goals, first you must figure out what you want and/or need and then work up a "plan" or "map" on what it will take (your "route" to get there). Things very rarely happen if you are not working in the direction of what you want. Working your business without some sort of a plan would be just like leaving your driveway with no map, directions, gps, etc... and expecting to end up at your destination by just driving around. It just isn't going to happen. If you have attempted something several times and continue to have poor results then perhaps it is time to examine what you are doing and adjust it to produce different results. (I love the saying "the definition of insanity is doing the same exact thing over and over and expecting different results".
I would like to share my goals for 2008-2009 Seminar year (please do not think I am "tooting my own horn" I just want to be able to use a good illustration. I know from experience that if I want the type of income I need for my lifestyle, I need to be court of sales level (at least $36,000/yr) - when I see enough faces to sell this amount, I also see enough people that I can build my team without canibalizing my customer base. If I recruit 1 for every 10/15 clients -I continue to grow both my client base and my team. If I tried seeing less and recruiting more, I would be setting myself up to get in trouble. How do I sell this level? 2 to 3 selling appointments a week. I am so proud to share that my senior challenged us to do a year of powerstarts. 30 faces/10 interviews a month..... I am pleased to report, I took the challenge and had actually finished my 12th consecutive power start on June 22!! I do the work. .SEE THE PEOPLE SELL THE PRODUCT Yes, I am a director, yes I EARNED the Pink CTS last year, yes I have over 100 unit members, and YES I am still the best consultant in my unit and probably will be right up until the point I retire or go National - why... because your Mary Kay business must be based on strong selling consultants (including us directors). How can I expect my consultants to do something I am not willing to do. They see what I do and I lead by example. I am not a "do as I say, not as I do type of person". And I loved doing shows and facials. It is fun, why would I give that up?
My goals for the Seminar year that just ended were Triple Star (Court of Sales, Court of Sharing, and Unit Club) and to earn the Cadillac. My youngest graduated this month and I am now ready to work a little more than I have been. Well, I would like to report to you that I accomplished 3 out of the 4. I completed Sales court (with actual sales to actual (real) clients of $36,000 retail (if I remember right it is my 13th sales court)- I have run out of fingers for the rings so I opted for the cash because I can't grow any more fingers and I don't want to wear them on my toes and I also completed court of sharing with 25 new team members 24 who are qualified and one that isn't. (It is my 6th court of sharing) Some did come in with $600 but many started with the minimum order $200 wholesale or even nothing and built thru the year.) May I add that if I finished the court of sharing it was done along with the court of sales. There was never a year that I did only the Court of Sharingbut there have been years where I only did Court of Sales.
We picked up the Cadillac the Saturday after Thanksgiving based on real production not whipping out credit cards. The quarter after we finished qualifiction I did have a partial co-op payment but between working so hard to finish (we were all tired), the election, the depression about the Economy, and Christmas - I was expecting and had planned for it. plus ($1000 bonus for earning the Cadillac) Had it continued I would have had to reevaluate my decision to have taken the Cadillac. If it was costing me money to have it, it would make sense to step back and take the cash, get a car and make the payment with the money from the cash comp. (Okay my pride would have taken a hit but... last I knew no one has died from hurt ego)- I think these are situations that teach us to be humble and keep us from being too pompous. If others allowed their pride to cloud their judgement, it is not MK's fault they choose to continue charging and going into debt. The Company is so gracious if you want to step down to a Saturn level. Could you imagine what pt would have to say if the Company made a director step down to Saturn level if they made two quarters of full coop payments. - The Company would be evil then too.
Back to my goals, Unit club didn't happen. We were close. We were less than $20,000 away from the $300,000 unit club, but the orders that had been placed were justified by sales. We had worked hard, we had booked our shows, and sold our products, right up until the end. (Only 10% of our June production came from our new consultants) But when the deadline came, there was no more time to keep working. Could we have chiseled that amount away, probably, could I have called consultants and asked them just to put in $xx.00, sure - did I? - NO. Why? because I would have had unsold product stressing an overstocked consultant out, interest building on her debt and then would end up watching a good consultant quit. No thanks... We did a respectable amount. I wasn't "charging" my recognition. Guess what? we have production in July already, guess what? We have a new unit member today. Our "journey" didn't end June 30. It was the end of a chapter not the end of the book.
Today, I felt a little melancholly for not acheiving triple star but still proud of my/our other accomplishments. When I cross the stage I know I EARNED my recognition and prizes... I can look at myself in the mirror, hey if someone else is doing it wrong and wants to stand up and take the glory, that is on them not me. Noone can take away my accomplishments. The key is that I know I did the best I could and did it ethcially and honestly and truely caring about both my clients and my consultants. Pt can say that you can not be successful in MK nor can you make money...and if you are making money than you have thrown ethcis and morales to the wind- to that I say B>S> . I have a brain and I use it. Have I made mistakes? Yes but I learn from them. I don't keep making the same mistakes, over and over. Yeah, keep claiming your were fogged and brainwashed and just did what you were taught....... I can understand if you are new...but year after year...blah...blah...blah.... - why are they surprised when they set them selves up for failure and then it happens?? duh... you can only do it wtong and cheat for so long. Bulding a house of cards... well it is going to tumble.
Sorry for the ramble but I so believe this can be such a great opportunity and I am so sick and tired of the ones that do burn and churn hurting the rest of us and I am sick of reading the statements from a few on pt - their proof is no more proof than words on a page. If I say I earned $40,000 after expenses, it is not proof but if they say no director making money in Mk is ethcial (knowingly or unknowingly) that becomes proof. -not-
I had a delightful day yesterday... will share in another post but I encourage ever consultant to think about what you want to acheive and work out a plan to assist you in your journey. It might even be fun to share some of your goals and cheer each other on throught the year. What do you all think? - Miranda's goal is going to be mk4me's favoritest/bestest client! (Who'd have thunk it?) - and I even had one consultant a few years back.. her goal was to have no goal for one year. She knew she wanted just to service her reorder clients for a year while she took on another project. No, it wasn't what we think of as a goal but she knew what she wanted or in her case didn't want :)
Have an incredible day. It is just as easy to be happy as it is to be miserable - you make your choice.
Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
and Today is a Gift! That is why it is called the "present" - don't waste it or throw it away!
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