Happy NEW Year…Almost!
WOW! How did February get here so soon? It seems as if we just celebrated New Years Eve and now Valentines Day is already upon us. However, it’s still early enough into 2013 to claim this as a “new year” and there’s something invigorating about it. A fresh start. A blank page. The chance to make a change. The opportunity to make this year better than the last. Kind of like the first day of school all over again.
With all the holiday decorations put away, the house feels renewed. Around the dealership, people seem to be on a mission. Everyone has things they want to accomplish and I’m no different.
I’ve got big goals for 2013! One big goal is helping even more people get out of cars they hate this year. Another goal is to be healthier. The older I get, the more I realize the truth to the statement, “Health Is Wealth.” Which didn’t stop me from overindulging this holiday season. So here I go again, the sugar has gone away and fruits and vegetables are here to stay! I’m eating better, even if my attempts at poetry continue to fail.
But enough about me.
What are your goals? I encourage you to figure out what you want to achieve this year and then write down your plans. It’s important to write your goals down so that you won’t forget them.
Make time to review your goals each month so you can keep focused on what you want to get done in 2013. Sadly less than half of people who make goals and resolutions fulfill them. Break the chain and be victorious. Make sure that you’ve set goals that motivate you. Don’t set too many either. Focus on a few things that are the most important to you.
It’s also important not to rush your goal setting. Take the time you need to create goals that mean something to you so that are spending your time achieving things that really matter to you!
One thing that can guarantee your success is to find a way to track your progress, whether that is through a real person or a virtual assistant.
So if you can find a partner to help keep you on track, great! If not, I put together a list of virtual resources for you to make tracking more efficient.
Lifetick.com
Lifetick is web-based software that brings together goal setting and achievement through an intuitive and easy-to-understand process. Like a personal goal trainer, this tool helps you gain perspective, stay on top of tasks, measure performance and manage your goals on the go. Accessible from smartphones, with a mobile Web version. Free trial version. Uses SMART methodology.
ToodleDo
ToodleDo allows you to set multiple goals and associate your tasks with those goals. It’s convenient because you can create an action plan or at least a set of tasks that will help you achieve your goal. Both web version and mobile apps are available.
Joe’s Goals
Joe’s Goals is a free daily goal or habit tracking web tool with a simple and pleasant interface. You can create multiple goals and check off each day you accomplish them. A daily score helps you stay motivated, and you can also share your progress with others. Ease of use and simplicity are this tool’s key strengths.
MyGoalPlanner.com
MyGoalManager.com is a goal planning and organization tool that gives you everything you need to be your most organized and productive, even when mobile. The system helps you maintain better organization, craft detailed action plans, prioritize and more.
43 Things
43 Things is a social goal-making site that helps you create your list of goals, set reminders about your resolutions, and connect with others who have similar goals. The community aspect of 43 Things is what makes it shine: you can get inspiration for new goals and adopt others’ ideas, send and receive “cheers” for supporting resolutions, add comments and progress updates (the site connects to your Facebook account) and more with the free service.
TheCoveyCommunity
The Covey Community is an online community built upon the principles of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It’s a support system with the sole purpose of helping people achieve the most important things in their lives. Features include a goal wizard, goal-setting programs, daily progress tracking and journals.
Declare-It
Declare-It is an online application that helps you easily create, track and be held accountable for your goals. It focuses on seven different areas of achievement to help you develop better habits and achieve your goals. It includes a built-in accountability system.
GetGoaling
Get Goaling is an online tool to help you set goals, plan actions and make progress. It is simple to set goals and track them to completion with the included goal setting tools and tracking options.
GoalEnforcer
GoalEnforcer is a visual goal planning software that can help you plan, get focused and accomplish goals. You can set and rearrange a goals by dragging and dropping virtual objects. It includes color coding, status reports, and progress chart features for goal tracking.
GoalPro
GoalPro is goal setting software that lets you create, categorize and simplify goals. It includes action processes, performance tracking, reporting and daily journals to help keep you on track.
GoalScape
Goalscape goal setting software provides a unique visual display to help you identify, develop and communicate the key elements of any complex challenge, including overall structure, relative importance, and progress tracking. The tool lets you break down your challenge into manageable parts and track your progress.
GoalsOnTrack
An online goal setting tool to help you create SMART goals, track progress, manage goal-oriented tasks, plan daily activities, keep a journal, review reports and more. Best for anyone looking for a full-featured goal planning/achievement system. Offers a 60 day money back guarantee.
AchievePlanner.com
Achieve Planner is time management and life planning software for Windows that helps you get organized, get focused, and make better use of your time. You can work with multiple projects and goals without feeling overwhelmed, plan your time for maximum productivity, and feel more focused and productive while you work toward your goals.
Goalmigo
Free goal setting and tracking site. Fun source of motivation. Participate in the community. Give and hare some inspiration.
Don’t Break The Chain
Don’t Break The Chain is a simple calendar designed with the Jerry Seinfeld motivation technique in mind. Don’t Break the Chain! has the simplest of interfaces and can be integrated with iGoogle and Google Chrome. Best for completing a single goal in a quick and visual way.
StickK
If you’re the kind of person who really needs more motivation, StickK may be the Web tool for you. The site gives you an option to commit money to the goal. Then if you don’t achieve it, StickK will send your money to a friend, charity, or an organization you don’t like (as a further incentive to make sure you achieve your goal). StickK says that your chances of success when you put actual money on the line increase up to 3X.
Wow, that’s a lot of choices. Perhaps your first goal should be to decide on one of my recommendations. Until next time…
About The Author
Tracy Myers is the owner of Frank Myers Auto Maxx. He is also an award-winning small business marketing & branding solutions specialist, car dealership owner, best-selling author, speaker, business coach and entrepreneur. He is commonly referred to as The Nation’s Premier Automotive Solutions Provider while Best-Selling author and legendary speaker Brian Tracy called him “a visionary… a Walt Disney for a new generation.”
He is also a Certified Master Dealer and was the youngest ever recipient of the National Quality Dealer of the Year award by the NIADA, which is the highest obtainable honor in the used car industry. His car dealership, Frank Myers Auto Maxx, was recently recognized as the number one Small Business in NC by Business Leader Magazine, one of the Top 3 dealerships to work for in the country by The Dealer Business Journal, one of the Top 15 Independent Automotive Retailers in the United States by Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine and one of the fastest growing privately owned small businesses in America by Inc. magazine.
Tracy has been featured in publications such as Forbes, USA Today and Success Magazine, been profiled on The Biography Channel and The History Channel, written for Fast Company, been a guest business correspondent for the FOX News Network plus he’s appeared on NBC, ABC and CBS affiliates across the country. His inspirational stories and strategies for success have given him the opportunity to share the stage with the likes of Jack Canfield, Zig Ziglar (Author of See You At The Top), James Malinchak (Star of ABC’s The Secret Millionaire), Brian Tracy, Bob Burg (Co-Author of The Go-Giver), Tom Hopkins and Neil Strauss (Author of The Game & Co-Author of The Dirt with Motley Crue)…just to name a few.
Tracy is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has authored or co-authored 7 best-selling books alongside Brian Tracy (Author of Eat That Frog), Jack Canfield (Author of The Secret, Creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul Series), Tom Hopkins (Author of How To Master The Art Of Selling) and many others, including the breakthrough #1 hit YOU Are The Brand, Stupid!. He was also featured in the Emmy nominated film “Car Men”, which won 5 Telly Awards, and is an Executive Producer of the film “Esperanza”.
As the founder of his own coaching & consulting program, Tracy teaches ambitious professionals, entrepreneurs and business owners how to get noticed, gain instant credibility, make millions and dominate their competition by building their expert brand.
Tracy spends his spare time with charities that are close to his heart and has made his home in Lewisville, NC with his wife Lorna and their two children, Presley and Maddie.
