Did you know that statistically, you are more likely to achieve a goal if you write it down? There have been hundreds of studies conducted showing this to be a logical and irrefutable fact. It’s a characteristic shared by most high earners in the world.

Do you write down you goals? The answer is probably no.

Why would I say that? Well, statistics also show that very few people actually write down their goals or create a plan to achieve those goals. So I am going to present to you a proven methodology for you to be more successful based on this principle.

Step 1. Write Down your Goal

I was laughing to myself the whole time I was typing Step 1. In all seriousness, writing down your goals increases the odds of you actually acquiring them astronomically. Write down you goals in full detail. Leave nothing to the imagination. What EXACTLY do you want to accomplish?

Step 2. Consider what has worked previously

Whatever your goal is, you need to be keeping track of the things that work. So if you are in our industry and responsible for driving referral growth, then when you get a referral, you should be asking yourself what caused that referral. Was it a certain conversation? Perhaps bringing the write type of follow up was key? Whatever made that phone ring needs to be capture so you can try to repeat it.

Step 3. Use your successes to build a path to your goals

If you know what has worked to drive referrals historically, it needs to be considered a tool in your tool belt. The more tools you have, the more likely you are to get the job done. You need to drive business and your tools can get you there!

Step 4. You have to “run the numbers”

If you want to get 20 referrals and you have four weeks, you need to figure out how you are going to get those referrals. Does that mean 5 a week? Maybe…or maybe it means you double down on your efforts in order to gain 10 a week the last two weeks. Either way, need a logical path with milestones to achieve your goals.

Putting it into place

Lets say that I want to (or need to) get 6 referrals in the next two weeks. I would start by creating this formula.

Goal: 6 Referrals in 10 business days (or 14 actual days)

Best Success Tools: My best tools are setting up meetings via phone, delivering a follow-up on one of the physician’s patients in our care, and offering at 24-hour admission time.

Milestones: I need at least 3 referrals by Friday to hit my first milestone, but I’d like to have 4.

How I’m going to achieve this goal:

• List out my closest referral sources
• Consider which of those have a patient in our care
• Call and set up an appointment with as many as possible
• Provide a comprehensive rundown of the patients we are caring for
• Ask for patients that have similar symptoms or diagnosis
• Drive home our ability to get that patient under our care within 24 Hours

Now, that may not be as solid as a plan I might have with more tools in my tool belt, but it’s a perfect example of writing down a goal, evaluating your best success efforts, and creating a milestone specific plan to hit those goals. Even writing out this simple plan made me feel accomplished.

I challenge you

 

As we are still in the single digits of the month, take a moment to write down your goal, your best successes, and a straightforward plan on how you are going to achieve that goal. You’ll be surprised at the results!