Jef Conn

By Jef Conn

As 2019 wraps up and the holiday season begins, don’t forget to think, plan, and write your goals down for 2020. Prepare for it to be your best year ever. Here are five tips to help you along the way while you’re planning your year ahead.

1. Write Down Your Goals. According to Inc., people who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them. Is it that simple? Yes! Writing down your goals helps solidify your goals into an actionable item that you are working towards. You should also review your goals as often as once a week to make sure you stay focused for 2020.

2. Leave 2019 Behind. Maybe you had a great 2019; maybe you didn’t quite reach the levels of success you wish you had. Either way, you can’t change it. So let’s learn from 2019 and move into 2020 laser-focused to make it your best year yet. An Entrepreneur article lists eight steps to move away from your past that you need to leave behind. This can be personal, business, or a combination of both. Take a look at those steps and take the action you need.

Photo by Startup Stock; Pexels.com.

3. Dream Big. I encourage you to look at 2020 and think big. What major things do you want to accomplish next year? Maybe you want to sell an additional five or 10 houses. Maybe you’re a commercial agent and you want to lease an additional 10 spaces this year. It might be that you want to make the most money you’ve ever made. Whatever it is, dream big and write it down. Fundbox.com posted an article on seven steps to think through when dreaming big. Check it out.

4. Invest in Yourself in 2020. Yes, take care of you. There are numerous ways to do that, but here are a few simples ones: Read a business sales book. Then when you’re done, read another. Repeat until you retire. Attend industry-related conferences and learn from your peers across the country. Here is a list of more than 60 top sales books, and another list of 25 top business books to help you get started.

5. Prepare to Work. No, don’t click off this article…stay with me. You want to have a great 2020, right? Good! You’re going to have to work for it. This means being dedicated to working when at the office and not “prospecting” on Facebook. You have to be diligent in your follow up and show up. You can have everything you want but it won’t come for free. Get to work!

Next year is special. It won’t have 365 days just like every year—it will have 366 because it’s a leap year. So you already have a one-day advantage over 2019 to reach your goals. Remember, revisit your business plans and goals often. Schedule time to access your goals and your current progress every quarter. Adjust as needed, and keep moving forward because 2020 can be your best year ever. You can do it. Yes, you.

Jef Conn, CCIM, SIOR, is a commercial agent specializing in industrial, office, and investment properties with Coldwell Banker Commercial in Lubbock, Texas. Jef served as the 2017 president of his local association and currently serves as Region 1 vice president and executive board member for Texas REALTORS®. Connect with Jef on LinkedIn or via email: JConn@CBCWorldwide.com.