Archive for the 'Goals' Category

Procrastination is one of those insidious forces that keep us from doing important tasks and accomplishing our goals. It comes in many forms, from the seductive TV show that draws you in, to the suspense caption on your web browser about the latest Hollywood gossip, or even the benign water cooler calling you to get up for another drink.

In our busy lives distractions come at all angles… phone calls, e-mails, drop in guests… If we want to get something done we need a way to stay focused on the important things throughout the day. We need some simple tools that can help us stay on track and are easy enough to use that we don’t have to think about them.

I’ve been experimenting with three tools that I think you might find useful. Each one of these is simple to setup and keep updated. The price is right too… You can try each one for free.

The first is a web site called Joe’s Goals. Joe has created a simple web based tool to put your daily goals on your browser screen where you can access them from almost any computer or browser enabled cell phone. The interface is clean and is setup in weekly calendar format. You just setup the categories on the left side of the calendar and track them in the calendar cells to the right.

When you have accomplished the goal for the day, you just click on the calendar cell and a green check mark appears giving you confirmation that the task is done. It’s simple and effective. You can also setup negative goals that you don’t want to do as in the eat out example in the picture above. If you do the negative action, a red check mark appears.

I like Joe’s Goals since I can pull it up at work or home and even on my smart phone. The basic ad-enabled site is free and it is simple enough to be effective. The web site even has a get inspired section to see how others are using it and a cool logbook section to journal your activities.

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The second tool is the Smart To-Do List by Scott Karstetter. This useful piece of software is based on David Allen’s Getting Things Done philosophy of next actions. You just install the software on your Windows PC and open the simple interface. You enter your projects one by one and then fill out a to-do list for each one.

If you are a GTD aficionado you can also tag each item with an @-Tag. For example, you can use the “@ computer” tag to mark items that you would do using a computer and a “@ phone” tag to do items that would require a telephone.

The interface is no frills but that is really its power. The software is very simple to use and can be left running on your machine throughout the day. When you have accomplished a to-do item, you just click the little X next to it and the step disappears.

You can filter by tag so you can see all the tags for a given item on one screen. For example, you can filter by “@ phone” to see all the phone calls you need to make. This one feature makes this a very useful tool. You can download a test version that is limited to two projects for free or pick up the full version for a reasonable $14.95.

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The last item on the list is our own “Walleteer” cards that help you take your to-do list or next actions with you wherever you go. This set of cards is printed out on Avery business card stock and can be displayed on your desk using a simple pencil and clip viewing station.

This set of cards has 9 different cards for common uses. Just print up a few sets and keep them by your desk. Use a Sharpie marker to fill out your daily goals and put the cards on your desk where you can see them. It’s a simple but effective system to help you overcome procrastination and truly get things done.

Using any one of these systems along with a 48 Minute Focused Work Philosophy will help you overcome even the toughest procrastination. If you find yourself struggling to get things done, why not try one of these tools today… come on now… don’t put it off…

Procrastination is an insidious thing. It creeps up and strikes even the best of us from time to time. In fact many of us may not even realize that we are procrastinating. As you read this, for instance, you may be putting off doing something important. Maybe it’s that report to your boss, a new sales call, or that phone call to apologize to a friend.

Whatever it is, procrastination can be overcome. It’s actually quite simple…

Just do it!

I know what you’re saying… Don’t you wish it was that simple. The fact is we procrastinate because we have too much to do and not enough time to do it. In our modern society we have a huge amount of things coming at us from all directions. The cell phone is ringing, e-mail is notifying, your calendar is screaming, and your boss is standing in your doorway.

Something’s got to give!

The definition of procrastination is…

Putting off or delaying or deferring an action to a later time. 

Given the amount of stuff we all have to do, it’s just natural that we have to put off some things to a later time or just not do them at all.

So the real question is… what do we do now and what do we put off until later?

1. Do we do the urgent?
2. Do we do the important?
3. Do we do what makes us feel good now?

The answers to these questions can really affect our future.

Dan Ariely, in his new book, Predictably Irrational did some experiments with a group of students to find out how structure effects procrastination. The results of his test are interesting and may give us some insight on overcoming this insidious problem.

Dan gave three of his classes different criteria for submitting their papers during a 12 week semester

1. The first class had no deadlines at all. They merely needed to submit their papers by the last class. They could turn the papers in early but there was no grade benefit in doing so.
2. The second class could pick their own deadlines for each paper at the beginning of the course. They could set them at intervals throughout the semester or just set them all for the last day of the class. Once the deadlines were set they could not be changed. Students would be penalized 1% of the grade for each day it was late.
3. The third class was given dictatorial orders. They would have to submit their three papers on week 4, 8, and 12 respectively. Their was no choice or flexibility.

At the end of the semester, the grades were tallied for each group. The group with the dictatorial structure did the best, followed by the class that set its own deadlines, with the free form group coming in last.

Structure was very important to the overall grades of the class. The class that was allowed to pick it’s own deadlines decided to follow a scheduling form that the teacher provided.

The take away is this… people do better in this order

1. Externally imposed deadlines
2. Personally imposed deadlines
3. No deadlines at all along the way

This has been my experience over the years with many different classes, goals, or other accomplishments. Over the next few days we’ll look at some structured ways to overcome procrastination in different areas of life. From diet to money management we’ll take a look at some successful programs that let you say…

Let’s get started… NOW!

With gas prices topping four dollars a gallon here in the US many people are looking for solutions to an ever increasing fuel budget. Some people are selling their gas guzzling SUV’s and purchasing smaller fuel efficient cars. Others are cutting back on vacation trips and doing more things at home.

I thought I would put together a weekly chart to track my fuel expenses and see how much I was really spending. I drive a pretty fuel efficient vehicle, averaging about 30 mpg on the highway and the low 20’s around town. As I was putting the chart together I decided to track all of my common daily activities on one convenient chart. This included tracking…

1. Calories
2. Fat Grams
3. Meal Cost
4. Exercise Time
5. Trip Destination
6. Trip Mileage
7. Trip Cost

What I quickly realized was that the different items could easily offset each other. If I needed to take a long trip I could cut food costs. For smaller trips I could walk or bike instead of taking the car and save fuel costs.

I created the chart in Microsoft Word and started taking it with me on a daily basis. At the end of the day I would total up the items. Here was a startling finding. By tracking my expenses on this chart, I started to walk more, take my meals with me instead of eating out, and actually found myself saving money over my previous habits.

I also began to eat better and exercise more which led to weight loss. It is funny how a simple chart actually helped me cut costs and get healthier in the process.

You can download the chart here and modify it quickly in Word to meet your needs. I’ve included a Word 2007 version and one for Word 97-2003. Try it for a week (or better yet a full month) and see where your money goes. See if you can cut your trips down and increase your exercise.

If you currently eat out a lot you may see substantial savings by taking meals with you. You won’t have to drive to lunch or dinner and you’ll probably eat cheaper and with less fat and calories than eating in a fast food joint or restaurant.

To really see how many calories you’ll save by not going to that restaurant pick up Eat This-Not That from the editor of Men’s Health magazine. You’ll be amazed (or dismayed) at how many calories are in that signature restaurant meal!

Eat This Not That: Thousands of Simple Food Swaps That Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds-or More! by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding Read more about this book…

April 1st, 2008 marks our three year anniversary here at Success Begins Today. It has been a fun and exciting journey so far and we have met many great people along the way. I want to thank all of you who visit here regularly for your support and feedback.

I also want to say “Thank You,”  to all of my blogging mentors who keep the conversation going and keep raising the bar on what can be done with this web based conversation tool called a blog. There are so many of you now that it would take two pages just to list all the names. Thanks for the persistence to keep writing!

Here is to a great 2008!

Cheers!

John Richardson

Here is a simple exercise.

Take a piece of paper and write down the following phrase…

“What Great Thing Would I do If I Knew I Could Not Fail?”

Underneath the phrase write down five to ten things that would fit the description.

Look at the items and imagine in your mind that you could accomplish them in the next 24 hours.

What one thing sticks out on the list that would have the most impact?

Circle this one thing.

Here is the start of a long term goal.

It is written down. Now ask yourself one question.

Are you are willing to take the first step to accomplish it?

If you are… why not take the first step?

Today…

In the book of Matthew in the Bible, Jesus tells his disciples a parable about a man going on a journey. This man entrusts his servants with “talents” before he leaves.

1. To the first servant he gives five talents
2. To the second servant he gives two talents
3. To the third servant he gives one talent

A talent in those days was a considerable sum of money, worth thousands of dollars in today’s economy.

In Matthew 25- Jesus relates their actions…

The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.  So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.  But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. It is interesting to note the rewards of their actions…

The man who had received the five talents brought the other five.  “Master,” he said, “you entrusted me with five talents.  See, I have gained five more.”

His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!”

The man with the two talents also came.  “Master,” he said, “you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.”

His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Then the man who had received the one talent came.  “Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground.  See, here is what belongs to you.”

His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant!  So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?  Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

“Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.  For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.  Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV)

While there is great significance in this parable from a spiritual and moral sense, it is interesting to view this in the concept of our personal talents. We all have talents, but like the third servant, many of them may be covered up or buried deep in the ground.

From a personal development viewpoint, we may have considerable buried treasure in our lives, just waiting to be dug up and opened. As in the parable above…

• If we uncover our talents and invest them wisely, there will be a considerable reward.
• If we do nothing with them, one day we may be called to account for them and find that difficult consequences await.

This parable hits home with me in various ways. From a career standpoint, I have found that there are many talents that are needed for today’s modern workplace. One simple example comes back to me almost everyday.

I took Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint classes back in the late 1990’s. I didn’t realize the importance of the classes at the time, but they have been incredibly helpful over the years.

Just knowing how to setup a graph in Excel or create an outline in Word, have been very useful on my job. I use them almost every day.

I can’t tell you how many people that I work with struggle with Powerpoint presentations. I am often called in at the last moment to get a presentation going or to get the computer to communicate with the projector.

Using our talents can have a profound effect on our lives. Instead of just letting our lives move aimlessly along, if we develop our talents, we can move ahead in a successful and deliberate manner. We can turn these individual talents into an incredible treasure.

For many of us this personal treasure can be explored by looking into seven different areas… and asking some direct questions…

Who
1. Who am I and what are my strengths?
2. Who are my customers/clients?
3. Who are my mentors?

What
1. What great thing would I do if I knew I could not fail?
2. What small things can I learn that will help me along the way?

Where
1. Where do I work?
2. Where is my mission field?
3. Where am I going?

When
1. When will I start?
2. When will I finish?
3. When is success?

How
1. How will I get there?
2. 12 month, One Year, and Three Year Goals

Why
1. Why am I doing this?
2. What is my purpose?

Risk
1. What is the best thing that can happen if I do this?
2. What is the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
3. What is the best thing that can happen if I don’t do this?
4. What is the worst thing that can happen if I don’t do this?

Answering these questions can take some doing. First we have to find and dig up our treasure chest. Then we have to unlock it and discover the hidden talents. Then comes the fun part… once the talents have been cleaned up and polished, we get to spend our treasure. With our new found talents it might be a business, a new job, or a mission trip to a far off land. The possibilities are endless.

Are you ready to find your treasure?