The Plan Z Diet Asks How Good Can Things Get?

The Plan Z Diet Asks How Good Can Things Get?

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet

Not long after we started our sales training company in the 1980’s I heard a speech about goal setting that inspired me. The story goes like this:

There was a study done at Yale University involving the graduates from the class of 1953. Researchers had polled the senior class about their future. They specifically asked how many of them had written down their goals. The answer was 3%. Three percent of the graduates had specific, written goals. The rest were unwritten or unclear. Twenty years later they checked back on the graduates and found that the 3% with the written goals had accumulated more personal financial wealth than the other 97% of the class – combined!

Like I said, that inspired me. So I wrote down my top 10 goals and put them on an index card. I used to carry that index card in my Daytimer where I logged all of my appointments. I came across that list regularly so it sort of stayed in front of my face for regular review.

Some of the goals were financial. Some of the goals were things that I wanted to get done or maintain. Some were short term and some were long term. The first of the financial goals I surpassed in just the first year. A very large financial goal, I blew away in about year 4. It was a 10 year goal so getting it done in 4 years was a big deal to me. One was to have a second home in Chicago. I got that done too. One was to maintain a happy marriage. I’m going on year 28 now. If the goal had not been met it had been replaced by something in the same category that was even bigger. Circumstances changed for me so some of my goals needed adjustment. That happens.

The thing is, the process worked. And it worked big time.

Fast forward. Not too many years ago I found out the study was a hoax. No one ever surveyed the Yale class of 1953. No one. Just about every famous motivational speaker told that story and each of them credited a study that turned out to be fictitious. Brian Tracy told the story. Anthony Robbins admitted he told the story. He credited Zig Ziglar. Zig had told the story too. They all thought that it was true. It wasn’t.

My opinion? Who CARES! If the act of writing down the goals works; even for three percent of the population (or pick a number) then I’m a supporter.

Just for grins I’ll tell you a couple of stories about the grads of the Yale Class of 1953.

One of the grads became CEO of Coca Cola. His name is Roberto Goizneta. He thought he’d be working in Cuba, but instead he became the leader at Coke. Two other guys were partners who started one of the biggest law firms in New York City. They planned to be lawyers so that worked out well for them. Another guy, Forrest Mars, Jr. became the CEO of Mars, Inc. I have to say we should have seen this one coming since his last name is Mars but let’s give him credit in that he had to be prepared for the job. He’s retired now but the family still owns Mars.

For the last couple of years I will have to admit I have been lax in writing down specific, written goals. I have done business plans and made plans for my future but I didn’t do the personal index card. I haven’t carried an index card around with me. I just haven’t done it. I got out of the habit.

I was thinking about it this morning and I attributed my lack of initiative to the economy. We’ve all been hit with so much disappointment in the last decade it’s no wonder we’re skittish to make plans. Everyone has been blindsided by disappointment. I dare say none of us is totally immune.

I will tell you though that I have decided to come out of my own personal shell and get out a new index card and make a new list. I have every confidence that if I do that I’ll make those goals.

How about you? What are you doing to determine your future? Are you going to make a list and review it regularly? I hope so. And I hope you make your goals.

Cheers,


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