We are, right now, 197 days into this year. That means T minus 168 days (and counting!) to reach the goals you set back in January. Believe me, T minus zero will be here before you know it. When it does, will you be out of time or will you have timed it just right?
Let’s take a moment today to consider where you stand with your goals for the year. You remember them, right? Sadly, for lots of people their goals have gotten swallowed up by the swarm of daily life. For some, each day might even seem like a scene from the movie Groundhog Day where every day is exactly the like the one before.
But not you! Even if your goals have suffered from a bit of neglect, it’s not too late to realize them.
Lets start with a big-picture question: “How are you doin’?” I don’t mean how are you doing just today; I’m asking how are you really doing overall? Are you having fun? Are you enjoying what you do at work each day? Is there joy in your relationships? Are you happy with your business and life in general? Take a minute and assess how you feel about yourself and how you spend each day. Determine how much progress you are really making with your goals.
Next, ask yourself: “Am I professionally “better” today than I was 197 days ago?” I define “better” as being more knowledgeable regarding your marketplace; feeling more confident in your client and employee and circle-of-influence relationships, being more of a “thought leader” in your industry, employing enhanced communication skills, etc.
Can you name three medium-to-big things you have accomplished that take you closer to achieving your goals? This is the big “are you making progress toward your goals” question. If you can’t think of three things, then perhaps you’re not working hard enough. And I’ll bet you’re not as close as you’d like to be, at t minus 168, to realizing your goals. If it takes you a while to come up with your three progress-producing actions, then maybe the “swarm” is clouding your judgment and blocking your way. Clear some space to devote to thinking about and reaching your goals.
And finally, consider this carefully: Is your work plan still relevant? I’m talking about your business, territory, division or team plan. Things change. You must be ready to meet those changes with your own adjustments along the way.
Corsini’s Point:
Stop for a moment and realize that you have 168 days left to accomplish your goals. Take time today to assess your progress (or lack of progress). Beat back the swarm so you can see exactly where you are after 197 days. Make changes in your tactics if necessary. When you think about it, 168 days, really, is a lot of time. Certainly, it’s time enough to focus on the goals that were so important to you at the beginning of the year. And it’s also plenty of time to achieve or, better yet, overachieve this year.
Ask yourself these tough questions, and we’ll extend the conversation with another one-question survey in a few days. We hope you’ll weigh in.
QUOTE
“I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.”
— Golda Meir
Recent Comments