To the Next Level
Make it Happen — Three keys to reaching any goal
By Michael Wickett

The key is to create positive focus and positive goals.

Key One - Focus on it.
What do you truly want to accomplish? Write down the positive goal or outcome you desire — not what you want to get rid of or want to change. Writing a goal to lose weight is focusing on excess weight. You need to reframe the goal as a positive. Remember focus equals reality. Focus only on the exciting and rewarding outcomes you want.

Key Two - See it.
Can you see yourself enjoying the reward? Write down all the positive results you will experience when you achieve the goal. Many people have a goal to earn more money — this won't help you achieve lasting success. Do you really want pieces of paper with dead presidents on it? No! You want the benefits money can help you attain. Focus instead on that exotic vacation, the beautiful car or your child's smile as they play in the backyard of your new dream home. Read that written payoff and see it every day.

Key Three - Feel it.
What would it feel like to live that result? As you visualize that accomplishment, you also need to feel the way you would if you had it now. People think their feelings are caused by their current circumstances — the opposite is true. The power is in the feeling. The excitement, joy or gratitude you experience is the key. Our feelings cause our results!

Two years ago, a dear friend called me about her inability to accomplish an important personal goal. As she explained her goal, she continued to elaborate on the "situation she wanted to get rid of." She was so focused on the negative she was energizing the very thing she didn't want!

I encouraged her to step back from the negative and to reframe her goal by focusing on the positive outcome she desired. Then she wrote all of the positive and exciting benefits she would have by achieving her goal.

As we sat together, I could see her eyes come to life as she saw and truly felt that successful outcome. Within a few months, she accomplished that goal and changed her life!

You can achieve your business objectives and personal goals — create positive focus and positive goals!

Michael Wickett is a member and Educational Coordinator of BNI Corporate Edge Chapter in Birmingham, Michigan. He is also a dynamic keynote speaker and sales trainer. His core business is creating sales and service cultures that produce record results. With explosive enthusiasm and powerful, practical ideas, he has gained a large and loyal following among business professionals across the country. You may visit his website at http://www.thecorporateedgebni.com. Michael can be reached at michaelwickett@yahoo.com.


Here is a story about a BNI Chapter that did just that — applied positive, goal-oriented thinking to turn their chapter around.

60 Days to Success
By Eric Dieckmann, Area Director, Orlando, FL Region.

Directors are often faced with chapters that have fallen away from the basics of BNI. There are chapters that once had 30 members and are now slipping closer and closer to the critical point of 12-15 members. And then there are chapters that just can't seem to break the 20-member barrier.

One of these chapters was in the Central Florida Region called the Extreme Referral Chapter, under Executive Directors Joe Melton, and Mike and Debbie Roberts. For months they struggled to get membership to 20 and beyond. Yet, they continued to hover around the 12 to 14 mark. They became disheartened and discouraged.

Since none of the members joined BNI strictly to socialize, I presented them with some options during one of my visits.

1. Disband the chapter; it's not the right time or the right place.
2. Restart the chapter and go back into core process, focusing only on growing the chapter.
3. Focus on the "60 Days to Success" program and do the following:
   • Attend every meeting or send a qualified substitute
   • Bring at least 4 qualified referrals
   • Bring at least 3 visitors
   • Attend a minimum of 1 MSP (Member Success Program)
   • Attend leadership and advanced trainings
   • Bring testimonials in writing
   • Do a minimum of 1 dance card or "1 to 1" every week
   • Visit another BNI chapter
   • Schedule and participate in a Visitor's Day, each member committing to 40 invitations. OR
4. Continue socializing and not making money.

Each chapter member agreed on the 60-day program. I continually reminded the members that the 60-day program would not hurt business, but help it.

The chapter has completed the program and as a result attendance is up. Absences are all but gone and the number of visitors and referrals are skyrocketing.

The key is that the group's attitude has changed. They are energized and focused on making each other successful, and every member is held accountable for participation.

By simply going back to the basics and following the policies and procedures of BNI they have taken a chapter that was on the brink to one of our "up and coming" chapters to which we are proud to send visitors.

Many times we as directors easily forget that focus on the basics is what makes a chapter successful. Focusing on the basics has allowed the Extreme Referral Chapter to beat the odds. Inspired by their success, other chapters in the region with similar challenges are now working the 60-day program.

Submitted by Mike Roberts, BNI Executive Director