THE YEAR 2015 has begun. As I look back on what transpired in my life in 2014, I realise I have a lot to be thankful for.
I realise too that there were so many missed opportunities and things I could have done differently. This thought can be a little depressing. The good news though is that the beginning of a new year is an opportunity for everyone to start with a clean slate.
I read an article by Chuck Blakeman on how to make 2015 successful. Blakeman talks about the importance of realising how the choices we make every day are so important to where we end up.
The author states that the actions of every day must be connected to where we want to end up. Blakeman goes on to give a progression that people should follow in order to achieve this. I would like to share that progression with you.
Lifetime goals: When setting goals, think of the things that you want to do for the rest of your life. It is important to get clarity on your lifetime goals as it is foundational to understanding how today matters. “Begin with the end in mind”.
Ideal lifestyle: Think of how much time and money you need in order to create the ideal lifestyle for living out your lifetime goals. It is also important to know and understand why you want that lifestyle.
Pick a “when”: When do you want to arrive at your ideal lifestyle? Pick an exact date and work toward it. If you begin with the end in mind, you can know exactly where you want to be December 31 2015.
Determine quarterly and monthly actions: Decide what you need to do in the first three months of 2015, and then what you think you can accomplish in January toward that quarterly objective. Be realistic. We regularly overestimate what we can do in a month, and underestimate what we can accomplish in a year. That is one reason New Year’s resolutions fail.
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Chose one big thing a week: Most of us wake up every Monday morning consumed with the small stuff. Pick one big rock a week – one strategic thing that will help you get to your lifetime goals and make sure you put that in your schedule first.
Blakeman concludes by stating “if we know our lifetime goals, we can then back into what we need to be doing tomorrow. If you don’t know what the end game looks like, how will you ever know what to do today? Know what to do, where to begin, and what to do next. Connect your daily activity to your end goal”.
Nonto Masuku is a partner of an image and reputation management firm
