Are you on a direct path or are you a hopeless wanderer? Ready, aim (part 2)

I find that when I am not moving steadily toward a goal, but simply following the next new shiny thing, I just end up wandering in circles. Have you experienced this as well?

In part 1 of this 2-part series called “Ready, Aim,” we looked at some of the reasons you may be floundering, and in part 2 we’re going to explore ways to advance on your way to success.

Most of us have too much going on in our lives to be able to wholeheartedly pursue a big goal, but there are ways we can break that goal into smaller parts, and work toward it a little bit at a time. In fact, I have found it more useful to target smaller goals in various areas of my life so that I’m more rounded and stable.

In his book and training called EntreLeadership, author and radio personality Dave Ramsey details the idea of setting goals in different areas of your life or the “wheel of life” as outlined by Zig Ziglar. Ramsey says, “for our lives to be successful as a whole we must address each area. The spokes of goal setting are: career, financial, spiritual, physical, intellectual, family, social.”

He goes on to say that if you only focus on some of these areas, you will have, in essence, “a flat tire.”

One of the things I struggle with the most is balancing the areas of my life, so I end up spending more time on career, physical and intellectual pursuits and neglect other areas, especially family and social. Because my “big 3” areas come easier for me, that’s what I focus on and end up procrastinating on planning for the other areas. I’m learning to set more practical goals in each of the areas, with steps that are reasonable and measurable so I can see my progress.

Once you have SET your goals, the next step is to start making progress toward accomplishing them. I have found a secret though – break those goals down into manageable bites. The following steps can help make the process less overwhelming:

• Focus on one or two areas each week: don’t set yourself up for failure by trying to accomplish all of your goals at once. Take it slow and focus on one or two “spokes” at a time. Maybe this week you aim to work on physical (maybe walking for 30 minutes two days) and social (meet a friend for coffee). Ease into it.
• Determine specific next actions: if you are like me, seeing something like “Sally’s birthday” on my to-do list makes my eyes glaze over and I skip it altogether. But if I decide what the next action is to move it forward, I am more likely to make time to work on it. For instance, the first step might be to “talk to Sally to pick a date for the celebration.” That’s probably a phone call, so that’s something concrete I can work into my week. Be sure to determine next actions for each of your goals.
• Use your calendar: I don’t know about you, but I am much more likely to pay attention to items on my calendar than things on a lengthy to-do list. So make it simple and add the action step to your calendar. Sculpt time to accomplish that next step. One of my goals is to read and study one business book each month. I have limited time to read, often at night before bed, when I tend to fall asleep in the book and then have to reread the next night. Not very conducive to great study.  So I have started blocking out a couple of hours on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to read with a reminder on my computer, so that my time does not slip away. That chime of the reminder helps me stay on track.
• Start some good habits: Try setting your alarm 15 or 30 minutes earlier in the morning, and use that extra time to exercise, or pray and study the Bible, if those are some of your goals. If you are consistent, then before long, you won’t even be tempted to hit snooze because you will find yourself feeling better because you see progress.
• Celebrate progress: When you do make significant progress on your goals, take a few minutes to rejoice in that. Share your success with your accountability partner or family. Don’t get lazy though – be happy that you are moving in the right direction and get back to work on that next step!

By taking small steps in the right direction, you will start making visible progress on a particular goal, which will spur progress on other goals. Just think what you can accomplish as you stop wandering and head on a straight path!

What small steps can you take now to get you back on track for your larger goals?

 

What is stopping you from achieving your goals? Ready, aim (part 1)

I find it scary how fast time seems to go by these days. It seems like it was just the beginning of summer, and here it is almost Thanksgiving!

With the end of the year so close, it’s time to evaluate your progress on your goals for this year, and start thinking about goals and dreams for next year. In part 1 of this 2-part series called “Ready, Aim,” we will look at some of the reasons you may be floundering, and in part 2 on Friday, explore ways to advance on your way to success.

Some of the biggest roadblocks to achieving goals include:

• Unreasonable goals. I frequently have grand ideas of what I want to accomplish, but then the nitty gritty of every day keeps me sidetracked, and suddenly that goal seems unreachable.
• Uncertainty about how to proceed. Some goals can be intimidating, and you find yourself stumbling over what the next step should be. That can lead to procrastination because it seems too difficult to figure out or deal with.
• Someone else’s goals. Be honest here, how many times have you set goals because family or friends encouraged (ok, pushed) you to – but you weren’t 100% sold on the idea yourself? It is hard to buy into a goal about which you are not passionate.
• Vague results. Goals must be clear and measurable. You’ve heard this before – don’t set a goal like “lose weight” – because how will you ever know when you have succeeded? You will be more likely to achieve success if you set a reasonable goal like “lose 10 pounds by X date.”

For me, goals help me manage my life, so my life doesn’t manage me. When I set sensible goals with realistic results, the outcome is much more satisfying.

The problem comes when I haven’t set proper goals to begin with. Then they become just another obligation to avoid, and it ends up being detrimental to my peace and contentment.

To counteract these problems, here are some down-to-earth tactics that will help you meet your goals:

• Set reasonable goals. It’s ok to dream about owning the company, but if you are just getting started, it’s probably not a realistic goal for next year. Start with achievable goals that move you in the right direction. You might strive to “take # classes to build leadership skills” or “train X team members to take on X responsibility.”
• Break the goal down into steps. You aren’t going to reach your goal in one leap, so don’t set yourself up for failure by stating it that way. Spend some time planning what action steps it will take to reach that lofty goal. If your goal is to run a 10K in 6 months, but you haven’t exercised in years, the first step would be to walk a mile 3 times a week. Then plan to walk a longer distance more often. Then add running.
• Set goals for you. Decide what you need to accomplish for you and set goals around that. Don’t be influenced by others here – you have to be passionate about what you want to achieve or you will not make progress.
• State what “wildly successful” looks like. How will you know when you’ve reached your goal if you haven’t stated what finished is?
• Share your goal. That’s right – don’t keep it to yourself. State it out loud to someone you trust and who can encourage you. Even better, challenge a friend or family member to help hold you accountable by asking about your progress periodically.

Goals are worthless if you aren’t making progress toward them, and determining the barriers is only part of the challenge. In part 2 of the series “Ready, Aim,” we will explore the process of setting up better goals to help you reach your dreams.

What excuses are keeping you from accomplishing your goals?

 

My 3-word update for October

Instead of New Year’s resolutions this year, I chose three words to keep me focused during the year based on the recommendation of Chris Brogan, New York Times bestselling author and master blogger.

My words this year are CONNECT, TRAIN, and ENJOY. You can read more about how I chose those words here. Surprisingly, seeing everything through the lens of these words has been much more beneficial than a resolution since all areas of my  life are impacted. And really, how often have you actually accomplished your resolutions? Don’t you spend the year avoiding them and then feeling guilty?

I have knocked CONNECT out of the park! Not only have I connected more with people at work and church, but I am now part of several online communities, one of which has become like a family, praying and caring for each other and even meeting in person despite living in spots all over the country. Surprisingly, all four online communities were made possible through my writing.

On a physical level, I am doing great with TRAIN, doing longer runs more consistently and continuing my yoga practice daily. As far as reading and “training” my mind, I have challenged myself with more books than I can even count lately. Inspiration has come from attending 3 recent conferences for leadership and goal setting. A work goal of conducting more training has not been met with much success, so need to continue working on that front. I am also taking an online blogging class to improve my writing skills.

Now, for the word that is the greatest challenge: ENJOY. Yes, I have “enjoyed” the writing, reading, connecting and training. But I need to continue to seek activities that are purely for enjoyment – like a free afternoon spent with friends or … There is the problem – I don’t even know what else to suggest! Definitely need to work on that.

Now, for next year, I’m already considering what words to choose. In what areas do I need to grow? What skills do I need to practice? It is still early, so this may change, but I’m thinking FOCUS, DELIVER, APPRECIATE – at least for now.

I challenge you now to start thinking – what will your 3 words be for 2013?

 

Is it time for a checkup?

Photo courtesy of Jacob Metcalf (Creative Commons)

I had my yearly physical yesterday, and it made me think of other areas of my life that probably need to have a regular checkup. Yet I neglect those areas because I’m too busy right now, or not in the right frame of mind, or think I have it all figured out already. But do I really?

To be truly happy, you need to balance the different areas of your life. In rereading Dave Ramsey’s EntreLeadership book, I am reminded of the “wheel of life” that  he describes from Zig Ziglar. “The wheel has spokes that represent each area of our lives, and for our lives to be successful as a whole we must address each area. The spokes of goal setting are: career, financial, spiritual, physical, intellectual, family, social.”

My “wheel of life” tends to not be round, what about yours? I freely admit that I am a workaholic, so my career and intellectual spokes tend to get the bulk of my focus, while I neglect other areas.

I suggest a regular time to do a “checkup,” whether that is yearly, quarterly or even monthly, so you can get back on track before you’ve veered too far off the road. The following steps can help you balance your “wheel of life”:

• Review – schedule a block of uninterrupted time to take a hard look at the last few weeks or months of your tasks and your calendar to see where you have been spending your energy. Just be honest in looking at your appointments and commitments to see what you spend your time on. This is not time to kick yourself for spending your time on the wrong areas, just an assessment of what you have been doing.
• Refocus – consider your “wheel of life” goals (or jot some down if you haven’t done that before). What are your goals in the different areas of your life (career, financial, spiritual, physical, intellectual, family, social)? What do you hope to accomplish or emphasize in each of those areas over the next few weeks and months?
• Realign – is one area of the “wheel of life” getting more attention than the others? There may be seasons when you focus more on a particular area, such as work, but be sure to balance that with the other areas or you risk burnout and frustration. Write down a new goal in each of your life areas for the coming months (writing makes it harder to ignore – just be sure to keep those written goals visible!).
• Renew – make some pledges to yourself (and maybe to your family too) to be more accountable for your new goals. Place your written goals on your desk, in your calendar, or somewhere that you will see them frequently.

By doing a regular goal checkup, you can adjust your priorities and even out your “wheel of life,” which will lead to greater satisfaction in all the areas of your life. Even if there is an area that will continue to need more focus in the next few weeks, be intentional in your goals for the other areas and you won’t lose that balance.

How round is your “wheel of life” and what do you need to do to even it out?

 

What does this word “NO” mean?

Photo courtesy of Horia Varlan (Creative Commons)

I am not well-acquainted with the word “no.” Anyone else have that problem?

It’s not always a bad thing, because people know they can ask me to do something, and most of the time, I will agree. Being dependable is a good thing, right?

And many times, even if the thing I have said yes to is a stretch, I feel like I’ve grown a bit once I’ve successfully completed the task or activity. Growing is good.

But being constantly busy can have its drawbacks. I write this after several weeks when I have had hardly a moment to myself, and had to schedule my days solid in order to prepare for the commitments I had made.  My recent activities have been exciting, fulfilling, and satisfying – just too many all together! I am exhausted and have had little time for me.

So how can you be more intentional in your busyness? Consider the following steps before saying YES to any new commitment – large or small:

• Pause – instead of an automatic “yes,” respond with “let me consider this and get back to you.” Then go through the rest of these steps.
• Pray – for guidance and knowledge that this new activity or request is part of God’s plan for you
• Plan – look at your calendar and/or your Life Plan and long term goals to make sure this new activity fits and does not conflict with a prior commitment (depending, of course, on the size of the obligation – an afternoon picnic is a little different than joining a new committee).
• Prepare – make sure to build in time for preparation for the obligation, whether that means preparing the food for the picnic or doing the background reading, writing the agenda, etc.
• Protect – “you” time. Michael Hyatt has written about “margin” (read his post here) and his “ideal week” in terms of protecting time spent with family and personal development. Look through the lens of your “ideal week” before committing to new things so that you can protect that margin time. It’s hard to be effective when you are overly tired or distracted by the next thing.

How different would your life be if you followed these steps before saying “yes”? Imagine how effective your meetings would be if you were more prepared. Your children would benefit from your complete focus and not a distracted or rushed parent. You could spend time on your own goals for fitness, health or learning.

How do you say “no” so that you can say “yes” better?

 

How I planned my week like a hummingbird

Last week was especially busy, with meetings related to different areas of interest and responsibility, and hardly a moment to focus on anything. As I sat on the porch last night, first night without an outside commitment, I watched a hummingbird’s single minded attention to the feeder, and wondered if I need to adopt his attitude.

While it was satisfying to make progress on several fronts last week, ranging from work projects to responsibilities at church to homework for Blog Topics Master Class, I felt scattered and nervous. I didn’t sleep well, and I didn’t feel like I had accomplished much, even though in reality, I did. Small progress on several projects is somehow less satisfying than large progress on one project. Because I haven’t “finished” anything, I still feel like I am completely overwhelmed.

I kept thinking about that little hummingbird. The whole time I was on the porch, he kept coming back for nectar, sitting on the feeder and drinking and drinking. If I had that kind of focus, imagine the amount of progress I could make. And the difference it would make at my nonprofit and at my church.

I realized there are several principles I need to keep in mind to be more effective:

• Focus on one project at a time, and make sure I am moving that forward.
• Remember that multi-tasking is not an effective way to work. Working on several things means that none of them will be done well.
• Minimize distractions. I need to clear my desk of everything but the materials for that particular project, turn off email and social media alerts and do what is necessary to signal to others that I’m busy (close the door, plug into music, etc.).
• Keep coming back. When I get interrupted, the temptation is to move on to something else, but I need to come right back to that one project.
• Schedule more effectively. Try not to have meetings about several different projects on the same day so my attention isn’t split.

Even being chased away by another hummingbird didn’t stop that little guy from coming back again and again. Determination and focus got the job done and got his tummy filled.

How do you narrow your focus to accomplish more?

 

What are you letting get in your way?

Photo by amslerPIX (Creative Commons)

I ran in the rain this morning. It wasn’t a downpour, and it wasn’t thundering, but it was definitely raining. I still managed 5 miles.

On the way back, I started asking myself was I just crazy to be out there, or very resolute in pursuing my fitness goals? How do you tell the difference?

I thought about what I’m letting get in the way of accomplishing my work goals. Interruptions, mini-crises, and mind-numbing busywork take up a lot of my time lately. Maybe it’s time to rethink how I approach my work day. I’m tired of making excuses for why some of my projects aren’t finished. It’s time to stay on task and get things done.

What about you? When you face road blocks, do you seek a way around them so you can continue to succeed, or do you abandon the goal when faced with adversity? Have you settled for a mediocre job because you were turned down too many times in a job search? Have you just accepted that weight is a problem because you fell off your diet goals over the weekend? Are you enduring a frustrating situation because your Plan A didn’t work?

As we start a new week, let’s consider these questions. What do you need to address and/or put in place to make sure you stay on track with your goals for work? For your personal life?

What road block are you letting stop you from reaching your goals?

 

Steering your course

When I was growing up, my parents always told me I could be/do anything I set my mind to. At the time, I didn’t really understand that. But this morning, I’m seeing that expression in a different way.

I’m realizing the power of intention. I am realizing that by directing my focus to the things that I want, I will be able to make them happen. Instead of drifting along, I can steer my course.

I know that you are probably thinking, “duh, that’s pretty obvious to most of us.” But is it really? How many times does your day/life manage you? How often do you feel stuck in a situation, and feel like you have no choice? How many times have you done things because you’ve always done them and hate to rock the boat?

I know that describes a lot of my life. So what does it take to change that?

What could you accomplish if you write down a goal and the next actions to reach it?

And not just a little goal, what about a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (to borrow from Jim Collins)?

I recently participated in Financial Peace University and EntreLeadership training through Dave Ramsey and his team. His ideas of debt-free living and powerful leadership are attainable but only if you are intentional about putting those habits in place. But how great would life be if you did?

I spent part of my day off yesterday working on “My Ideal Week” spreadsheet, suggested by Michael Hyatt on his blog “How to Create More Margin In Your Life” as well as on my Life Plan, again, thanks to Mr. Hyatt. What a great feeling to craft a schedule in which I control the focus – instead of being led into who knows what. Once I make this planning a habit, there’s no telling how far I can go.

How will you steer your course today?

 

Climb That Hill

When you have a large, complicated project, do you dig right in or find excuses to put it off?

I have to confess that many times, I do the latter – there are 2 projects that come to mind as perfect examples. Put both off way too long, and really what I ended up doing is dreading and agonizing about them and kicking myself for being so ineffective. And when I finally did start each of them, I felt so good about accomplishing so much, that I got on a roll and made progress on some other things as well.

That process is worth paying attention to.

There is a daunting hill toward the end of my running route that really challenges me. Some days, I think about turning around and going home the other way, but that would lead to more mental anguish for having given up. If I push through and get to the top, I feel like I could tackle the world! The same is true when I accomplish a seemingly impossible task or project – all sorts of endorphins and energy are released that make anything seem attainable. Bring it on!

In his book Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy advocates doing the hard task first (eating the frog) to make the rest of your day more productive. As a vegetarian, I prefer to say that “climbing that hill” first thing can help you accomplish more in your day. The mental energy that can be freed  up by dealing with the hardest part of your day first is unbelievable. Makes for even more productivity throughout the day.

So give it a try. Go ahead and climb that hill – tackle your hardest project first thing this morning and see what happens. Then comment here and let us know how the rest of your day went.

Will you climb that hill? What does your hill look like?

 

One Step Ahead

I have a confession to make. Actually two confessions.

I have never considered myself a runner, but in the last 6 months, I’ve been running more often, and more miles, and even having days where I don’t want to stop. And I look forward to running every morning. I think that means I’m becoming a runner.

I also have never considered myself a writer, but as I write documents for work, blogs for work, and this blog, I’m realizing how enjoyable and therapeutic it can be. Guess you know what that means…

But neither of these goals has come quickly. In fact, both are the result of a series of small steps. Baby steps.

It’s not always the giant leaps that get you ahead, but just small, steady forward motion.

Which gets me thinking about what other goals I should be moving forward. Instead of being bogged down with the latest and loudest and ignoring other things, what small next action could I take to make progress on other things?

I think that will be my focus this week – baby steps. Rather than be head down in the most urgent project or task, I will look for opportunities to move ahead on other stalled projects and goals.

What projects or goals could you move ahead with baby steps?