Success. Many financial advisors go about getting it as if they expect it to be here right now. Yet, success eludes so many. Why? My experience shows me that it's a simple clarity and goal issue.
The solution is to create clear and believable mini-goals on the way to the big one. Behavioral change needs to be reinforced at least every 24 hours. That means you have to accomplish a mini-goal every day.
Here are the essential steps to success behaviors:
- Have a deep desire and commitment to acquire the behavior.
- Clearly define your specific big goal (i.e., become more assertive).
- Outline the daily, believable mini-goals that you're willing and able to do (no mini-goal is too small; if your goal is to lose 30 pounds, an eighth of a pound is not too small a daily goal to begin with).
- Achieve your mini-goals every day for 21 days.
After 21 days you do not have a habit, but rather the right to continue. It takes 60-90 days of repetition to create an excellent amateur-level success behavior. It isn't until you've practiced the behavior daily for about 120-180 days that you become a master. Get extraordinarily clear about your goals, spend time creating a mini-goal list that is achievable on a daily basis, and then actually do them; you'll be more successful than most of the people you know, 24 hours at a time.
