The last day of June; the mid-way point of 2008. This is the perfect time to reflect on how we’ve done so far, and to make any course corrections for the rest of the year.
Over the weekend I was reviewing my goals and accomplishments for the second quarter. I achieved or came close to a number of my goals (yea!) but fell short on a number of others. I noticed some interesting trends about the ones I missed.
First, several of the goals are not high priority for me. They just don’t inspire me because they’re not moving me towards my bigger goals and vision. For next quarter, these goals won’t be included.
The second thing I noticed is that several of my goals for the second quarter should really have been steps towards one larger goal. Had they been placed under the umbrella of a larger goal, I think I would have been more likely to achieve them. Taking small steps towards a bigger goal is more motivating than completing a bunch of smaller goals because the payoff is bigger. Also, by having fewer, but bigger goals, it’s easier to decide what to work on. There are fewer choices to distract me.
Over the next few days I will finish creating my goals, including some deadlines for completing the steps. These milestone dates will be entered into my calendar so I don’t forget them. And I’ll make sure I take into account the things I’ve learned from the past 90 days.
Your Tasks
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, has two parts. First, review your accomplishments for the first part of this year. For goals you didn’t achieve, ask yourself:
- Is this still a priority? If not, good thing you didn’t spend too much time on it.
- Do you need to break this goal into smaller steps to help you achieve it next quarter?
- Should this goal actually be one step towards a larger goal?
- Were you trying to achieve too much last quarter?
- Does this goal move you towards your long-term vision for your business?
If you did achieve all or some of your goals, celebrate! Go out to dinner, buy yourself a treat, do a happy dance in your office. Don’t discount what you’ve accomplished.
The second part of my challenge to you is to create your 90-day goals for the third quarter of 2008. What will you achieve between July 1st and September 30th? Don’t know how to create 90-day goals? Check out my blog post How to Create Your 90-Day Goals.
Andrea J. Stenberg
How do you keep yourself moving towards your larger goals and vision? Please share your experiences by leaving a comment.
