Goal-setting grows out of the attitude we have about our career. At one time or another, we have all consciously or unconsciously considered what we want to do with our lives. Those of us who have chosen this business have done so because we choose to live by our selling skills, enjoy the freedom and independence we are afforded, and like helping our clients meet their insurance and financial needs and wants. We're also pretty clear that we want to make a profit from our efforts. These considerations are a good start at a personal business plan, which is a concise explanation of what you do, how you do it, and what you expect to achieve.

The goals you set grow out of your personal business plan — what some call a "mission statement." They are specific, measurable, and directly related to activities. Career goals include short- and long-term income and professional goals — where you want to be next year, and five years from now. Your goals should:

• Include your continuing education and professional development objectives
• Include your personal, family and community goals
• Be in concert, not conflict, with other major aspects of your life, like family and community
• Be carefully selected and prioritized
• Be written down, reviewed and, occasionally, revised. Keep records on how you do in meeting your goals.

Your goals should be directly related to your career objectives. They should encompass every facet of your business. For example, simply setting a goal of 100 new life sales is the beginning, not the end, of effective goal setting. Are there any products or markets you believe will support this goal better than others? Is there a particular prospect profile or market in which you want to specialize? Will your current prospecting skills support this goal, or is there room for improvement? How will client building and client service help you accomplish your goal? Will your current sales presentation skills support your goal?

Once you have defined your annual goals in sufficient detail, you must lay out, step-by-step, the sequence of events necessary to achieve each major objective. No plan is worth anything until it is implemented. Ensure that your plan is capable of allowing you to reach your goal.

Don't just talk about it — do it!