2009 is underway. It is a project already on its way, consuming time, expenses, human resources. Do you have a plan? If not, the project can easily go awry. We call it New Years’ Resolutions, or Goals for 2009, or similar titles, but it still a planning tool. And 365 days hence, we can use it to determine variance between our dreams and our realities.
If you are thinking about how you want 2009 to go, consider these categories:
- Job
- Career
- Learning Something New / Education
- Friends and Family
- Home and Community
- Health
- Spiritual Understanding
- Play and Renewal
- Business and Finance
- Other
Within these, write 3 – 5 statements. Start each one with an action verb, one that describes something you can actually see. (Avoid intangible verbs, like ‘to know’ or ‘to be’.) Make it truly concrete by adding a target date, a way to measure change or achievement of the action.
Example – “To get more sleep” is worthy – but not as effective as “To get to sleep by 10 pm at least 5 nights per week”. You can hold yourself accountable to the second statement.
Once you write these, put them in your PDA or daybook, some place that will catch your eye regularly. Have progress ‘meetings’ with yourself to evaluate progress, the need to get back on plan, or to celebrate completion of a goal.
I’ve done this for years, and now and then go back to my own ancient history. It is amazing to see how writing a plan affects my direction, year after year! Have experiences to compare? Please share them!