Two years ago…
My wife proposed that we brainstorm and share a list of 101 goals we wanted to accomplish over the next 1,001 days. And we did. We pledged ourselves to 10 shared goals and an additional 45 individual goals. Ambitious, exciting and fun.
But while I’ve accomplished some big things, I recently noticed that I’ve only been able to cross off about a third of my 45 personal goals. Most of the goals, which would only take a day or two to complete, have slipped through the cracks.
Why is that? Why have so many fun, motivating and generally easy tasks remained undone?
Last year…
I was committed to crossing more items off my list. I drew up a strategic plan for all of the goals I wanted to accomplish in 2010. I started with 2-3 major areas I wanted to focus on (my writing chops, my writing career and my fitness). Then I found 5-6 metrics by which I would measure my success (outlines written, new clients signed, pounds lost, etc.). From there I came up with strategic and tactical objectives to reach those metrics.
And I did alright. I didn’t accomplish everything on the list and some plans morphed during the year, but 2010 was easily my most productive and professionally satisfying year yet. Still, a lot of goals, especially the smaller ones, slipped through the cracks.
Why is that?
A New Approach
My 101 Goals in 1,001 Days list is a motivational strategic plan, but strategy without action is fluff. Last year I boosted my gains by bringing the strategy down to the tactical level, but that didn’t optimize my results.
The solution?
This year, I’m bringing the strategy all the way down to the operational level. This isn’t as complicated as it sounds. For example, I want to create 12 spec ads for 12 major brands. Great. That’s one a month. What days will I work on those? I want to add 20 pounds of muscle. Great. That’s about 1.6 pounds per month. What days will I go to the gym? What day will I design a training regime for bulking up? I want to stay more in touch with some of my old friends. Great. I can do that with two phone calls a month. Whom will I call on which days? I want to boulder at Vedauwoo with my brother. Great. Pick a date and mark the calendar.
Big life goals can be overwhelming, but when you bring them down to the operational level, they feel almost easy. Adding 20 pounds of muscle sounds daunting. Adding 1.6 is no problem. Staying in touch sounds like a hassle. Making two phone calls a month is a pleasure.
Will I complete everything on my list? Probably not. Life has a way of throwing curve balls.
Will I complete more than if I just waited for the ideal time to act? Certainly.
Life is like writing.
You can’t wait for your muse to show up. You have to chase her down.
