It was my last chance and I hit the goal

In June 2023, I took over sales for a gym for 14 days.

Before I started, I gave myself a very clear goal:

20 new customers.

Not:

"Let's see how many we can get."

Not:

"I want to increase sales."

Not even:

"Let's try to get around 20."

Twenty.

And I had 14 days to do it.

That changes something.

Because now you have a scoreboard.

19 isn't the goal.

21 is great.

But 20 is the number you have to hit.

So for those two weeks, I knew exactly what I was working towards.

Every lead mattered.

Every appointment mattered.

Every follow-up mattered.

And as the deadline got closer, there was no:

"We'll get the rest next month."

There was no next month.

I had 14 days.

Then came the final sales day.

It was 12 PM.

My last appointment.

And I still needed one more.

The person came in.

We talked.

And...

they signed up.

Customer #20.

The last appointment.

On the last day.

Exactly the number I'd written down two weeks earlier.

Could that have been coincidence?

Of course.

But I've thought about that moment many times since.

Because I think we massively underestimate what happens when we give ourselves a VERY clear target and a VERY clear deadline.

"Grow the business" isn't a target.

"Get more customers" isn't a target.

"Make more money" isn't a target.

Your brain can't really do much with that.

But:

20 customers by June 30th.

Now we have a game.

You're either at 20...

or you're not.

And once you have that number, you can work backwards.

How many sales do I need?

How many appointments does that require?

How many leads?

What needs to happen TODAY?

The goal starts influencing your decisions.

And the deadline creates urgency.

Without a deadline, it's incredibly easy to tell yourself:

"I'll do it tomorrow."

With one, every day you waste makes the remaining days harder.

That's why I like goals that are almost stupidly specific.

One number.

One deadline.

Then go.

Because there's something incredibly satisfying about watching that number get closer...

19...

and then sitting across from your final appointment on the final day...

and watching them become:

#20.

Christian