That is what happened to me. And as a result, my business went down onto its knees. It took a while before I realised what caused this. Sadly, it was me. Yes, I was and still am ultimately responsible for my life, how I feel, what I do, and the results I achieve. I had to study Bob Proctor to realise it and understand the real meaning of it.
According to Bob, there are three types of goals:
A-type goals
These are the present results you produce. You know how to do it. You deliver precisely the same thing as you did before. You deliver what you promise day after day, month after month, nothing more, nothing less. You may appear to be in autopilot mode.
B-type goals
It is about what you think you can do. You need to plan it and think about it, e.g. acquiring new customers, but the process will be the same as at the A-type goal, with a bit of stretch—for example, a 10% increase in the existing portfolio. You know very well how to do it. Maybe you need to do more of it or increase your prices. Sometimes companies achieve this with incremental improvement or, as I say it, with number crunching exercises coming from operation effectiveness initiatives.
C-type goals
What do you really want? What are your dream income and revenue? This is about fantasising. It involves visioning in every true sense. This goal inspires you and scares you at the same time. You want this, but you have no idea how to achieve it. But because it excites you immensely, you make the leap, and the steps and HOWs will arrive and unfold on the way.
“Most people are not going after what they want. Even some of the most serious goal seekers and goal setters, they’re going after what they think they can get.” Bob Proctor
When I started my own business as a private entrepreneur after 20 or so multinational employment, I first began with C-type goals as I had never worked as an entrepreneur. Almost everything was new, scary, and exciting at the same time. Then as I learnt how to do it, I moved to B-type goals. I knew what I was doing and only had to increase my revenue gradually. Then I did it. Hallelujah! Then I repeated it year after year. Great work, Beáta! – I told myself. Now that was when everything started declining. I did not notice that I had lost my passion (not for working with leaders) for leading, building, and doing my own business because I was doing A-type goals, which bored me immensely as it indeed bores everyone. Then, instinctively I grabbed a definite C-type goal when I started writing my first book on leadership. I had no idea how to do it or what the steps were. I only had a high-level outline, a vision of myself having a book published and a mentor to support me. Then my passion came back. And everything shifted.
This happens with people a lot in organisations and teams. They lose their focus, and they lose their passion. Therefore, the leader’s primary role is to ensure that there are enough C-type goals in the organisation to excite and energise people. Or bring people to the table to create the organisation’s future vision together. Invite and involve them to own the vision so they will not only bring their energy to the table but also spread this energy in the organisation. Remember, high positive energy coming from an exciting vision is contagious!
Have a look at your goals. What type of goals do you have?
Do you create room for shared visioning and fantasising?
Where do you see a decline in the energy within your organisation? How much of it is about working on autopilot?
Source: Thinking into Results by Bob Proctor