If so, where are your finish lines? Ahead of you or behind you? I came across a great article by Harvey Mackay today that I want to share. Harvey has written several books on being successful in business and writes a nationally syndicated column on the same topic. I recently read his book about networking which you can check out on My Reading List.
Harvey’s article is about how winners use goals.
Harvey asks the question… “What’s really more important, goal-setting or goal-getting?”
My reaction was they’re both equally important. I blogged a while back about goal-setting and how important it is, but what’s the point of setting a goal if you’re not going to try and get it. They both must be important.
Harvey continues… “We all know companies that were household names, the bluest of the blue chips, that are fading memories today. W.T. Grant. Woolworth. Zenith. Studebaker. Montgomery Wards. Every salesperson knows an ace who was on top of the sales charts for years and all of a sudden lost his stroke. He didn’t go from first to second, he went all the way to the bottom.
In each of these cases, the goal was the same, to get on top. But once they got there, they started to lose their way.
They lost the hunger, the ability to innovate, to listen to their customers, to adopt to change, to be humble.
They had achieved their goals. Now was the time to reap the rewards. About 20 years ago, a fellow named Parkinson, wrote a series of books in which he cleverly framed his observations into “Parkinson’s Laws.” Most are just as valid today, because these rules of human nature are timeless. One was, and yes, I’m paraphrasing a bit, “Whenever a company proudly announces the establishment of their beautiful, new, modern, efficient corporate headquarters, you can be sure they’re heading downhill.”
Why? Because instead of focusing on their business, the company’s managers are focusing on themselves.”
The lesson I learn from these examples is that we need to be careful once we reach our goals. Without a goal in front of us to guide the way and keep our focus on Minding Our Own Business, we’re teetering on the edge. Will it all come crashing down? Let’s not find out. Let’s set another goal.
Harvey advises… “As success piles upon success, the goal changes.
If you ever achieve your goal, be like Curt Carlson, the billionaire founder of the Carlson Companies, the parent of the Radisson Hotels.
It’s not goal-getting that matters. It’s goal setting. You never want to reach your goal.”
As a young soap salesman, Curt used to set yearly sales goals for himself, write them down and stick them in his wallet. About halfway through the year, when he reached his annual target, Curt would tear up the slip of paper, toss it, and set another goal.
Great advice Harvey. While I agree with most of his last line above, I would change it just a bit. I’d have it read…
“It’s not goal-getting that matters the most. It’s goal setting. Once you REACH a goal, immediately SET new one.”
I think it’s important that we actually achieve the goal’s we set, then set new ones. Be like the runner who is constantly looking for that next race. Cross that finish line, then move it back out in front of you.
You can read this column by Harvey Mackay in its entirety here.
- Jeff
Learn about personal finance be successful minding your own business.
More from Minding My Own Business
1 response so far ↓
1 My Real Estate Investment Efforts « Minding My Own Business // Jul 7, 2008 at 1:05 pm
[...] in a better neighborhood with greater long-term appreciation potential. I don’t normally sacrifice my goals, but I think it’s important to have the highest quality investment properties in my portfolio [...]
Leave a Comment