A Goal Without a Plan is Just a Wish
Okay, it's a New Year and one full of opportunities.
Stop right there, I know what you are thinking, “this isn't going to be some post about resolutions is it?” I don't do resolutions because they don't work!
By definition, a resolution is - a firm decision to do or not to do something. By having a way out or the ability to not do something you inevitably don't do it. We are all guilty of this!
Instead, I do goal planning. By creating goals you are being realistic with yourself and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve them. Of course, things change throughout the year and you may need to pivot to accomplish your goals, which is normal, it's knowing where the finish line is and being able to see it that makes sure you get there. No one ever started a race without knowing where the finish line is.
There will be opportunities to grow and learn this year. Opportunities to make wise decisions. Opportunities to choose positive over negative. Smiles over frowns. Passion over passivity. Giving above taking. Loving over hating. Excellence over mediocrity.
To help you jump-start your own goal planning for 2019, here are three questions I encourage you to ask yourself this year:
- What are the top two things I can start doing in my business that will have a big impact on my family (or friends)?
- What are the top two things I can stop doing that will also have a big impact on my family (or friends)?
- What's the one thing I can change that I'm doing right now that will have the greatest impact on my career?
By answering these simple questions, you will be able to improve your circumstances. You will be able to create opportunity out of thin air.
While we're on the topic of opportunities and goal planning, let me remind you to make sure you write down your goals and put them somewhere that you will see them (every day). I personally use a neat little software called Mindmeister. In MindMeister, you can create what is called Mind Maps so you can see the goals you want to achieve more visually.
Check out an example from my stash below. It shows my entire landscape design process and breaks down each milestone into an easy-to-follow series of steps that I followed to ensure I didn't miss a step in the process.
View it on Mindmeister here - https://mm.tt/837904552?t=7B0vVdtTML
Write Down the Important Details
While it's a well-known fact that unless you write it down it’s just a wish. It's also true that a goal without a plan is just a wish. So make sure you write down your goals and give them attainable deadlines. Make sure you don't ignore the important areas of your life as you set up these goals.
Some of the areas I have goals in include:
- Family/Relationships
- Spiritual
- Physical/Health
- Financial
- Professional/Work
One last bit of advice for this year is to also remember to enrich your mind. Learn the riches of reading. Setting aside 15 minutes a day will enable you to read up to two dozen books a year which is 11 more books than the average American reads.
To get the most from your books and periodicals, read with a pen or highlighter in hand and write down your thoughts as they come to you. Who knows, this might inspire in you a new goal that goes on to change you and your families life.
Enrich your mind - and improve your life for 2019!
JOIN MY NEW FACEBOOK GROUP!
Learn in community with other like-minded entrepreneurs about how to craft the right message and create polarizing content that establishes a deep connection with your audience.