A Simple Test To Predict Success (or Failure)?

Joint Venture coach Robin J. Elliot is a "direct and to the point" style communicator and entrepreneur. You may not like what and how he says things, but I like to contemplate his point of views on things. Here some thoughts on the power of specificity. What do you think? Is he an uncompassionate guy in a suit or does he have a point?

Here’s a simple formula to predict someone’s future choices and actions. This virtual crystal ball has helped me significantly over the years to save time and money and allocate my resources more accurately. Here’s how to do it – quick and easy!

Sit down and do a spot of goal-setting with them, including the creation of an Action Plan. There are really only two responses to this activity. Winners who intend to produce will set very specific, realistic, measurable, time-related, significant goals with an Action Plan to support them. Those who do not intend to produce will set vague, mediocre goals that focus on activity rather than results, and are hard to measure and check.

For example, the Winner writes: “I will make four paid, $2,000 sales by November 1st.” The loser writes: “Contact fifteen new prospects, advertise in the newspaper, ask for referrals from existing customers, read ‘Think and Grow Rich’ again.” You get my drift. How do I know she called fifteen new prospects or read the book, and how does reading the book put money in the bank? Did she really ask for referrals? It’s easy to advertise in the newspaper, but that doesn’t create sales. Also, listen to their words: Winners says things like “I will, I commit, definitely, exactly, certainly, I know.” And they will put themselves on the line, invest, and face the consequences. Losers will use words like, “I guess, I hope, I’ll try, IF, it depends on, maybe, I can’t control the future”, etc. They will deflect blame.

When November 1st rolls around, the Winner will either celebrate his success, or he will have to explain why he didn’t attain his four sales, because it will be plain to see whether he succeeded or not. The loser has protected herself by insulating herself from criticism; she will claim that she achieved her goals by reading the book, contacting people, asking for referrals, and advertising, yet she made no sales! So she feels very successful with no sales, while the Winner, who in fact made three sales, determines to do much better next time by applying more self-discipline, something which the loser knows nothing about.

Losers (parasites and moochers) are motivated by being busy, feeling important, impressing others, and teaching others (the blind leading the blind.). Winners (producers and creators) are motivated by results. The way they set goals is the first way to predict their futures. The second way is to listen to what they say after their results are revealed. Losers will make excuses, blame others, the economy, circumstances, their tools, products and services, pricing, the market, you name it. They will be “offended” if confronted with the fact that they failed to produce. Winners will take personal responsibility and resolve to do better by changing their action plan, working harder, honing their skills.

Before you commit time and resources to working with someone, apply this simple formula – it could save you a lot of time and money!

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com