Where Priority Meets Focus

“I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the years'.” ~~Henry Moore~~

It’s not always easy to determine priorities. Sometimes you need to make tough decisions about what you’re NOT going to do. I was part of an interesting conversation recently about planning and focus that centered on people being prepared for the wrong thing or planning for something that never ended up happening. These were being presented as negative; as people wasting time or effort. I agreed to an extent at the time, but then I started to think about when it had happened to me. I’ve certainly had times that I prepared for something diligently that never came to pass. I’ve certainly experienced focusing a lot of energy and effort on what turned out to be less important than other things on which I could have focused. But each of those things helps make up who I am, what I know, and how I go into my next action. While I certainly could have been better served doing something else, I don’t believe that time was wasted. I believe there is a reason for everything even when we don’t know or see what that reason is.

On the other hand, when you make those tough decisions, when you examine your goals carefully and plan specific action steps to achieve those goals, and then focus intently on those action steps, you are certain to succeed. When you can focus on the positive and not allow self-doubt or negativity creep in; when you can focus on the priorities and not let yourself get sidetracked; when you can focus on what you’re doing right now and not on what you need to do later, you’ve got a winning combination.

On what will you choose to focus today?

Goals: A Path to Fulfillment

“The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.” ~~Earl Nightingale~~

I just completed the first module of a telecoaching / training program called “Aligned Thinking” given by Dr. Jim Steffen.* It’s a multi-session, weekly call that is said to help participants align EVERY action to the things they really want from life and from work. The first module is about setting a personal mission statement, and as I’ve started my work on the module, I’ve come to realize that while I have great goals, personally and professionally, I’ve never really thought about how they complement one another. I’m interested in seeing how this all plays out and am curious about whether or not I will change my work habits as a result of my personal goals. I think I’ve done a great job of creating a work/life balance, and the exercise of writing down my personal goals, just like I have with my professional goals, should prove to be very empowering. It’s an interesting process, and as I go through it, I’m likely to share more…

Have you spent time thinking about how your personal goals affect your professional goals or your work habits? Have you taken the time to write down your personal goals, as well as your professional ones? Are all (and yes, I mean ALL) of your actions aligned with those goals? This is somewhat new for me… and I am excited about the possibilities.

*For information on Aligned Thinking or Steffen, Steffen & Associates, please visit: http://www.ssainternational.com/