Each
year in Times Square at the stroke of midnight the ball drops officially
ushering in a New Year. A time to start anew … new hopes, new dreams, and a
new list of New Year’s resolutions, goals and challenges awaits each of us.
Yes, it’s hard to believe the first week of 2020 is fast approaching. So,
what’s next for you? Do you have a personal plan to prepare you for success in
the New Year? Most importantly …
Do your goals align with your vision?
When I think of the challenges most of us must confront in aligning our goals with our vision, I’m reminded of this quote from Isaac Asimov:
“Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.”
Getting to where we want to go, from where we are today, is the ultimate challenge for most of us. This transition is also the most troublesome. Why? Because it requires us to move away from old habits and traditional thinking to achieve this new reality.
For
most of my adult life, personal planning has been an integral part of my New
Year’s Day tradition. You will find me camped out in front of the big screen
with a copy of my Zig Ziglar Corporation’s “The Performance Planner”.
Working on my Dream List, Things I Really Want To Be, Do, Or Have list, and my
Top 6 goals for the year ahead. This annual planning ritual takes roughly 4-5
hours to complete.
Do you have a similar tradition or personal plan for success in place for 2020?
If not, here are five things for you to consider in developing those plans for the
upcoming year.
- Finish critical items you started in 2019.
- Prioritize new projects and goals for 2020.
- Decommission the things that are not working.
- Remember it’s okay to take a mulligan, or start over.
- Stay positive about your plans, your life and the future.
Don’t get in a hurry to fill up the calendar with a lot of new things to do. Stay focused and limit your personal plans to 5-6 major areas of emphasis, so it will take less steps to make your vision reality.
Enjoy the journey!
John
COPYRIGHT © 2019 John Carroll