Goals Are You A 1%

Developing the Next Generation of Rainmakers Goals: Are you a 1%-er? I am starting coaching a group of partners today. I will ask them and I will ask you: Do you have goals? That is likely not  the most appropriate question because we all have goals. Perhaps better questions might be: Why should you write (type) your goals and commit them to paper? The easy answer is because scientific studies tell us that people who commit their goals to paper are far more likely to persist and stick with it to achieve them. According to Dr. David Kohl, professor emeritus at my alma mater, Virginia Tech: Read:  Are you part of the 1%? I have always created written goals. Early in my career I wrote them on legal paper, folded the paper and carried it in my inside suit pocket. I frequently reviewed what I had written. So, I guess I fit into the 1%. I have been reading Charles Duhigg’s book: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and BusinessSmall habit-forming advice, via “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg  . I wanted to find other studies supporting the importance of written goals. I did a Google search and found: Goals Research Summary. Here is a visual depiction from the summary: As you can see from the visual, those who did best included those with written goals, those who shared their goals with a friend, and those who sent written reports each week to their friend. This undoubtedly sounds very familiar to those of you who have participated in my coaching program. Each time we meet in person, you create written goals, you share those with me and you keep me up to date on your progress. I practiced law for 37 years developing a national construction law practice representing some of the top highway and transportation construction contractors in the US.