By Diego Nascimento
Who has not had the sensation of running after something and, in the end, getting nowhere? How many companies and individuals invested heavily in projects and had the sensation of ‘dying on the beach’ or having kilos and kilos of unused material? Promising a million opportunities and delivering double on disappointments? The list is broad, and we need to be honest in recognizing that for some time we were part of this plot or we risk being characters on a journey of failure. But this scenario can be altered or avoided if we clearly set goals for our dreams. That’s right: goals.
I will be practical in this approach: I have developed a private project and decided to ask the opinion of an international network of marketing professionals. There are five people who, although they have the same academic background, are located in different countries, with diverse cultures and with a vast curriculum of “stories to tell.” Not even the time zone is an obstacle to our conversations intermediated by the universal language, English. By Skype or WhatsApp we are able to add and exchange unbelievable experiences that not even the best scientific articles could offer. In this context, all members of the group, without exception, were direct in asking, “Diego, what do you want with this? What are the objectives of the project?” A simple question, but with answers that can open doors or avoid terrible headaches.
I confess that I spent good moments reflecting on mistakes and corrections and what is (or are) my goals in each life choice for the next five years. Personal marketing goes far beyond speaking properly, taking care of appearance and maintaining impeccable hygiene; it covers our ability to organize and predict our dreams. It happens a lot in job interviews: it is easy to see when the candidate is in the stratosphere of exaggeration or if his feet are firmly on the ground.
In his book Goals and Goal Setting, writer Larrie Rouillard points out four easy-to-use elements for outlining our goals. They are: 1) Choose an action verb, 2) Choose a way to measure the result, 3) Set deadlines, and 4) Set limits (safety zone). There is no mystery at all. Professor Larrie, in fact, reinforces the need to put every step, every penny, effort at the tip of the pencil and evaluate the pros, cons and, if necessary, consult someone you trust.
In light of all this, I want you to understand that our humanity makes us imperfect and brings us the responsibility of watching at all times. “Shots in the dark” can hurt anyone who has no connection to events and shows no readiness, fear, or resistance to hearing because of the pure and simple explosion of ego. In times of so much instability in Brazil and worldwide, I recommend prudence and the immediate definition of goals. Ten minutes thinking today will avoid days or years in search of a solution that may never come.