The One Thing You Can Do to Achieve Your Goals

What’s keeping you from achieving your goals? The following scenario may reveal the answer.

If you were to speak into your phone and ask “Alexa,” “Who’s the best technician at my shop?” An image of YOU holding a wrench would appear!

Finding and hiring a qualified replacement would free you up to focus on the bigger picture and to go on vacation with your family.

Before you can push the button to place the ad, the following thought pops into your mind: “What if business dries up, and I can’t afford to keep him?” As a result, you leave the office and return to the bays.

Do you know what’s keeping you from achieving your goal? OK, let’s try another example.

Even though your car count is high, your bank balance is low. You haven’t raised your labor rate since the Bush administration, and your local parts supplier gets complaints from customers who say they can get their parts cheaper from YOU!

You would add $2,000 a week to your bottom line if the only change you made was to implement that parts pricing matrix you received from your coach.

Before you can push the download button, the following thought comes to mind: “What if I lose customers because I’m too expensive? As a result, you keep the same pricing structure and hope for the best.

Here’s what both scenarios have in common: Fear is driving your decisions. Before we discuss the one thing you can do to achieve your goals, you must first become aware of what’s driving your fears.

Uncertainty

When my son was four years old, he was afraid of the dark. Despite all my coaching, he would refuse to sleep in his room alone.

One day I purchased a night light and put it in his room. This instantly solved the problem and he slept through the night. Why did this work so well?

The dark room was an environment of uncertainty. He lacked the ability to see or control what was happening in his space. The night light removed the feeling of uncertainty, which was driving his fears.

Moving in the direction of your goals is like walking into a dark room. You become afraid because you can’t see what the future result will be. The feeling of uncertainty is what’s driving your fear.

Since I was able to shed light on your fears, you’re now ready for the one thing you can do to achieve your goals.

Focus on the Process

In his book, The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, Gary Keller writes about a study that was conducted of 262 college students who were preparing for a final exam. The students were split into two groups.

Those in Group A were told to visualize the result they expected to achieve on the test. An example of the desired result would be getting an “A.”

The students in Group B were instructed to visualize the process needed to achieve the desired outcome.

They focused on things like how often they would study and how long their sessions would last. Which group do you think performed better? (Click here for some Jeopardy thinking music!)

The students who focused on the process performed better across the board than those focused on the outcomes.

They started earlier, studied longer, and got better grades!

By now you’re probably thinking, “Thanks for sharing Twiggs, but what does this have to do with me?”  

Stay with me; I’m focused on the process of revealing that to you!

Examples From Your World

Like the students in the study, the key to your success is to focus more on the process than you do the outcome!

For example, instead of just focusing on a $500 ARO, visualize the process of completing a thorough courtesy check of every vehicle.

Instead of focusing on achieving 90% tech productivity, focus on the process of conducting daily morning huddle meetings with your technicians. 

Instead of focusing on a 61% parts margin, focus on the process of establishing a relationship with your customer that’s built on trust.

The process of completing thorough courtesy checks, conducting daily huddle meetings, and connecting with your customers, can lead to you achieving your goals.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. The feeling of uncertainty is what drives your fears. While you have limited control over the outcomes, you have complete control over the process!

Therefore, focusing on the process is the one thing you can do to achieve your goals.

At ATI, we focus on teaching and coaching shop owners on best practices to get the most out of your automotive repair business. Want to learn more? Find an ATI shop owner event near you.