Your Goals Define Your Plans - Says Sales Motivational Speaker Chuck Gallagher

It’s often funny the things that happen before a presentation, especially if the participants don’t know the speaker. At times I have the opportunity just to mill about the group striking up random conversations or joining into a group discussion. Amazing what comes up - perhaps we’ll call this the meeting before the meeting. Most of the time there is something said that directly relates to the presentation - and such was the case last week.

In the meeting (before the meeting) I overheard one may say to another, “The most important thing I do is make my plans. I plan my work and work my plan,” he said with a bold confidence. I walked away thinking that - that was a focused individual. Good job.

Then it hit me…plans are fine, but they are meaningless unless they are preceded by a goal. I can plan my work and work my plan all day long, but if the plans aren’t goal driven, then we might be executing the wrong plans. While the keynote presentation was well planned, we took a detour just to make sure that all (mostly experienced sales professionals) knew the sequence - first set the goal - then work the plan.

Unless your plan is helping you achieve some long term objective, you might find it misguided. Plans support goals, and goals are the building blocks for long-term success. The plans you implement for the short term should support day-after-day the long term goals.

Sometimes the more experienced you get the more you might forget or blur the distinction between goals and plans. Most highly successful sales people have clearly defined goals and both short and long term plans to achieve them. Your plans my change slightly to meet changing demands, but they should always support you goals.

Comments are welcome!

Tags: chuck gallagher, closing, motivational speaker, persistence, Prospecting, sales, Sales Greatness, sales motivation, sales motivational speaker