Just forty-eight hours to go.
Forty-eight hours in which to put the cap on all the goals that were set for 2008… back when we still had 8784 hours (thanks to the leap year) to accomplish them.
During this week, people naturally reflect on the past twelve months, make decisions about priorities, and prepare for the coming year.
It’s a process that leaders constantly go through.
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As I review, it’s evident that there are several goals that will not be reached by midnight on Wednesday.
It’s not that they weren’t important… and it’s not that I didn’t have time.
Nor is it that there was no energy or resources expended in those directions. We are certainly further along than we were last January… we just didn’t get to home plate.
On the other hand, there were goals that we absolutely nailed this year… right down to the day!
It was a thing of beauty.
So, what was the difference?
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WRT the goals that we accomplished:
1) They were written down, as were the possible obstacles and their solutions.
2) There was a public announcement that drew attention to what needed to be done,
and agreement as a family as to why it was important for us to succeed.
3) The activities necessary for success were listed as appointments on a calendar,
creating a timetable for success.
4) We kept our appointments.
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Conversely, the goals we missed were simply stored in my mind… almost a kind of mental wish list. This removed public accountability, and allowed other activities to crowd them out of the schedule.
Nature does not like a vacuum, and life will rush in with urgency to fill any available openings in the calendar.
Days and weeks went by… goals out of sight, went out of mind. Months went by, and suddenly there’s… there’s… now only forty-seven and a half hours left.
To be sure… on several priorities in my life, steps one through four above will get a bigger workout in 2009.
I look forward to speaking with you.
Questions:
What were the three most important goals you had coming into this year?
What were the biggest challenges you faced in accomplishing them? How did you overcome them?
What are your top three goals for 2009?
What are the biggest challenges you face in accomplishing them? How will you overcome them?
Enjoy another story on goal setting and achievement.
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