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by Laura Bissonette ================== ABOUT THE AUTHOR ================== Laura Bissonette is the owner of A1 PRIORITIES, Helping Busy People Get Organized. The company offers residential, small business and personal organizing, including a wide variety of customized services. For more organizing ideas, or to sign up for a monthly ezine with organizing tips, see our website at A1 Priorities ==========================================================================================
A) THINKING: First, set a timer for ½ an hour. Either by yourself, or with a helpful, supportive person, write down at least 20 ways to reach your top priority goal. Force yourself to think past the obvious and you will eventually break through with some very creative concepts! When the time is up - stop. Choose the 3 best ways. Now, make a list of all the things that are holding you back. Lack of time, money, education, support, etc. Choose the major roadblock to your success. What can you do to remove it? Use the 20 idea here again if necessary. If you work on removing this one obstacle a little bit each day, your goal will come into focus, and you will reach it faster than you ever thought possible. B) PLANNING: 1. Is your target date more than a year away? Write down general thoughts about what has to be accomplished each year. Use your 3 best ways and major roadblock here. Incorporate them into the plan. 2. Break the first year's work down into months. Write down what should be done each month. What can you do to get to your goal? 3. Make a list of steps that can be done in 15 minute segments. Keep this list close at hand for times where you can squeeze them in. 4. Do this at least once a year. Compare how much you accomplished with your plan and make adjustments for the next year. Realize that your goals will likely change over the years. That's okay, new goals will come out of the work you have done toward the old ones. Don't give up! C) SCHEDULING: 1. Start with this month. Look at the list of jobs you made for this month on your annual plan. Sort the list into weeks. 2. Now you have a list of mini-steps to be done each week this month. 3. Transfer the mini steps to your calendar or planner. Make sure it is in a place where you will see them every day. 4. Make a commitment to yourself to treat these steps as the important events they are. Skipping them will only delay the attainment of your goal! All that work was the planning stage for one goal - your most important one. It seems like a lot now, but you'll be very happy that you made the investment when you see how things fall into place because of it. Now if you want to achieve more than one goal, it would be a good idea to repeat the procedure for the others as well. Scan over the goals you have set for future stages of your life and make note of things you could do now to make it easier then, such as setting up a savings plan for a specific goal. D) STAYING ON TRACK: 1. Try to keep your life balanced and don't overload yourself with goals! Leave at least 20% of your time unscheduled. Don't forget your family, friends and health. Hopefully, they are included in your plan. 2. At least once a year, go over your plan. Write out the monthly details. Keep a measuring device for each goal. If you are behind in any area, try to determine why, and make adjustments. 3. Each month while you are copying the weekly lists to your planner, spend a little time going over your progress. Check your list of 20 ways and your main roadblock. Is your goal becoming clearer? 4. Get a Goal Buddy to report to either by email or telephone. Sharing your plans and progress will make you work harder and accomplish more! 5. Keep the image alive. Put up pictures of what you want. Make a collage. Feed your subconscious with images of what you want every day. Believe it will be yours. Think positive. Envision the final accomplishment in as much detail as possible, think about it every day, do it every day. Keep yourself motivated. Remember this .... |