Why You’re Stressed About Your Goals

Read time — 6 minutes

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Hey bud,

As you may already know, I was in the insurance industry for about 6 years (2017 - 2023).

And Financial Advisors’ main way of earning money is through sales as the role doesn’t have a fixed salary.

This time of year is especially stressful.

December is the time of year that FAs are scrambling to hit their yearly targets — as with anyone who is in sales.

December is the time of year that efforts are doubled and sales managers are equally stressed as the advisors they lead.

December is also the time of year that most FAs have some of their highest sales volumes.

If you are in a similar situation, this letter is for you.

In this week’s letter I will help give you awareness as to WHY this phenomenon happens, and what you can do to break this cycle, come 2024.

This letter is all about Goal Related Stress.

But before that, a reminder.

The Winning Your 2024 Online Workshop will be happening on the last week of the month.

Here you will learn how to achieve your sales and business goals in 2024.

If you are interested to attend that workshop, hit the ground running in 2024, and make it your best year ever — reply to this email the word “Winning” to signify your interest.

Let’s get into the letter.

Lack of Clear and Meaningful Goals

If you aren’t clear with what you want to achieve, it will leave you feeling overwhelmed and unsure.

A common goal that many FAs have for the year is the MDRT Qualification — a prestigious membership which you qualify for based on your sales volume for the year.

The problem is that most FAs are just swept up by the bandwagon of their agency, or even the industry.

They aren’t even clear if this is a goal that they really want or if it’s just a goal that’s assigned to them by their environment.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s no problem about that goal in itself if that’s what you truly want — as long as you’re clear that it’s what you really want and you’re clear on what the impact of achieving that is in your life.

Let’s zoom out a bit.

This idea applies for any goal.

Are the sales and business goals you have really something that you want, or were they just assigned to you by your environment?

Think about it.

Most of the goals you have aren’t meaningful goals unless you’re aware of this concept.

To solve this, set a clear and specific goal of what YOU really want for yourself (be selfish for this one).

If that goal is a true choice for you, then it’s a meaningful one.

Lack of Understanding Behind Pursuing The Goal

If you don’t know WHY you’re pursuing the goals you do have, you will end up procrastinating and self-sabotaging — which will later cause you stress and overwhelm.

The mistake that many people make is that they set clear goals at the start of the year, but then from January to June they put things off because they think that there’s still a LOT of time remaining in the year.

Sound familiar?

I know it does for me.

The main reason for this is because you don’t know the deep why behind the goals you have.

In my 4 qualifications to the MDRT, I was very clear on why I wanted to qualify.

The first qualification was all about the representation of independence since I was a fresh graduate.

The second qualification was all about proving to myself that the first qualification wasn’t just a fluke.

The third qualification was all about bouncing back from somewhat of a rut year.

The fourth qualification was all about surviving the pandemic or lockdown period.

Be clear on the whys behind your goals.

It will give you purpose, drive, and motivation.

Lack of Structure or Strategy

If you don’t have a clear timeline or plan on how to achieve the goals you do have, you will feel confused and uncertain about your progress.

You will end up taking random actions that may not even contribute to moving the needle forward towards your goals.

You will be easily distracted and be a slave to your passions and moods.

Action and discipline are needed for you to fulfill the meaningful goals you have.

Break down your goals into milestones, set realistic deadlines, and create an action plan for you to even just get from step 1 to step 2.

The path will become clearer as you move forward and progress towards your goal. (I talk more about this in Letter #12, “Unexpected But Welcome Surprises”)

In Conclusion

Here’s why you’re stressed and anxious about your goals:

• You don’t have CLEAR and meaningful goals

• You don’t know WHY you’re pursuing the goals you do have

• You don’t know WHEN you want your goals achieved

• You don’t know HOW to move towards your goals

Now you know — so that come 2024, you can break the cycle of being so stressed about your goals for the year.

Reminder: The Winning Your 2024 Online Workshop will be happening on the last week of the month.

Here you will learn how to achieve your sales and business goals in 2024.

If you are interested to attend that workshop, hit the ground running in 2024, and make it your best year ever — reply to this email the word “Winning” to signify your interest.

I’ll see you there!

All the love,
All the power,

— Zach Marañon

P.S. Whenever you are ready, there are 3 ways that I can be of help to you:

1. Follow me on Instagram here if you want a source of bite-sized ideas and content that can help you reach your next level in life.

2. Book a free kick-off conversation for one-on-one coaching here if you are an entrepreneur or sales professional currently looking to create solutions to a problem or challenge in your life but you seem to be stuck.

3. Download my goal setting guide here if you are wanting to create clarity on your desired outcomes (Free until 100 downloads — and then I convert it to a paid resource).

P.P.S. If you are from the Philippines and are looking for a personal mastery workshop to help you experience growth and transformation, check out Discovery by I Am Plus Coaching and Training Systems. It’s where my journey of self evolution personally got fast-tracked.

P.P.P.S. I will be on honeymoon in the next few days with my wife — and so there will be no Empowered Entrepreneur Issue this upcoming Wednesday (December 6). Thank you for understanding, bud!