Goals and The Moment of Golden Anticipation

Goal setting may be the single most important step you ever take in your life. In 1953, the graduating class of Yale University was surveyed to find out how many of them had clear, specific, written goals for the next 20 years. Only 2% of them did. Twenty years later, that 2% had more net worth than the other 98% combined.

More importantly, there is a feeling that comes with achieving a goal that is one of the things in life that is truly worth experiencing. It can’t be bought, it can’t be borrowed, but it is there everyday for those who are willing to accept the challenge. You see, goals by definition are not easy to achieve. They require extraordinary effort and action. They have deadlines. They test not only your resolve, but your personal values as well. They can sometimes elude you all together. This finish line is not granted, but earned.

Goals give meaning to life. They can turn an ordinary day or week into a mission. They impart purpose, and focus your efforts in a way that can be positively exhilarating. When your goals are congruent with your values, you discover the answer to the question that has driven thinkers to retreats and monasteries and secluded lakeside cabins for hundreds of years. You discover “WHY”.

At Harte Infiniti, on the morning of March 31^st, we stand on the verge of achieving our monthly sales goals. In today’s marketplace, this is no small feat. One last day of extraordinary effort from the team will make the difference between ‘almost” and “accomplished”. Our sales manager, refers to it as the moment of “Golden Anticipation.”

Anyone who has ever competed as part of a team is no stranger to this feeling. Once you have it, you never forget it, and it binds many together for the rest of their lives. The 1972 Miami Dolphins still pop champagne when the last undefeated NFL football team loses its first game each season. Whatever the field of endeavor, your team is an exclusive club, and there are no honorary members. The only way to be a part of it is to actually be a part of it.

We would like to acknowledge the many individuals who are a part of it, and whose efforts and assistance have put us in this position. The goals we speak of are not just numbers. They involve excellence in presentation, preparation, execution, and complete customer satisfaction as well. Part of goal setting is to recognize who it is that will help you achieve your goals, and we are grateful for the contributions of our clients, our support staff, and our families. A great deal of our “WHY” involves you.