Last week, I reminded you that we have completed three quarters of this working year. That said, I challenged you to stop and assess where you are in relation to the goals you set earlier this year. I asked you also to consider your relationships as a whole—since I advocate a whole-person approach to success. And I strongly recommended that you make any necessary adjustments now, before it’s too late.

I also suggested that you not be too hard on yourself. After all, who could have foreseen our current economic climate? It’s not like you have a crystal ball on your office bookshelf.

This week, I want to talk about how you can avoid this idea of too little, too late. No crystal ball is needed—not if you have the right plan!

I get asked all the time: “What are your rainmaker clients doing that I could do?” It’s a great question and a good idea. We all should strive to do what the “best of the best” are doing.

I have a client who works in an industry that is, quite frankly, in the tank. This is an industry—like so many others today—where supply (of services and salespeople) far exceeds the demand. And yet this person is having one of the best years ever—ranking at the top of the market compared to his peers.

So what is this person doing differently? Several things actually, but I’ll focus on one important aspect: He has totally embraced the concept of planning. Seven years ago, I pushed him to take up the process of developing a solid plan, reviewing that plan frequently and then updating the plan on a regular basis. Today, this salesperson is “all in” and enjoying the benefits that come from focused, smart planning. In fact, as this Point reaches you, this person is finalizing a second, updated version of his plan for next year. Yes, it’s only early October, but this person already has been planning next year for the past two months! What’s more, this current plan is made with an eye to five years of bright future—all the way out to 2014!


Take planning to the next level. Make planning a process and not a once-a-year exercise. Your plan should be an active, evolving document. Your hard copy should be tattered and coffee-stained because you review it so much. Then, once you’re in the habit of planning, live large and plan out more than one year. Consider developing a two-, three-, four- or even five-year plan like one of my rainmaker clients is doing. I can tell you that this person’s plan offers clear (and usable) insights into the future—even without a crystal ball. This person knows where he stands, and that knowledge is power. That’s what I call truly doing what you do better.