December: A Time to Set Goals
It's a moment I'll never forget. My husband and I were walking on the beach in San Mateo
County on a cold, windy January day in 1988. I was talking vaguely about an upcoming
marathon. Should I run it? As we strolled along under cliffs, watching seals bobbing in the
water, I weighed the pros and cons. "I think I will," I decided.
"Write it down," he advised. I had nothing to write with, so I traced my goal in the sand
with my hiking boot. "I will run the Big Sur Marathon in April in under 4 hours." Three
months later, crossing the finish line at 3.56, I remembered carving my goal in the sand.
For myself, setting goals is deeply satisfying. But I'm ambivalent, too. I've always loved
Henry Miller's assertion-- "the goal of life is the living of it." And the line, "life is what
happens when you're busy making other plans."
Still, the mammal in me finds this time of year a natural period to curl up on the sofa, sip
hot spiced cider, and gaze out the window at lengthening shadows while I reflect,
daydream and plan. Want to join me? All you need is a pen and paper.
Review the past year
What did you accomplish? What did you hope to accomplish, but didn't?
What were the tone and tenor of the year? Try completing this stem: "2004 was a time
when..."
Two questions I return to often are: "What restored my energy? What depleted it?"
These are markers, helping me discern what I want more of and less of.
Write down goals
Make a list of your goals, the things you want to accomplish in 2005. Don't linger or
analyze. If you find yourself dismissing a goal as too crazy or grandiose, put a star next to
it. That's an important one. Make the list as long as you like. Writing down goals says,
"I'm ready. I'm open for business!"
Revisit your goals regularly
This is important, because your desires may change or you might complete a goal and
need to reprioritize.
Set your intentions
In a feng shui class I recently took, our teacher taught us a new practice. Before any
act--eating, reading, driving, meeting with a client, or making a phone call--we were
advised to pause and remember our larger goal. Another way to set your intention is to
write about the action beforehand, as if it has already happened. For example, "I'm happy
to have finished my column. I had fun exploring ideas on paper, and the writing flowed."
Work from the inside out
If you have trouble making goals, try setting up a period of quiet time daily for
self-reflection. A few minutes of daily meditation can go a long way toward cutting through
the mental debris that may be in the way. I've just re-started meditating daily and I'm
amazed how much it helps.
Choose your method
I'm a pen-and-paper person; the physical act of writing gives me a sense of comfort, and
the scribbles of my pen on the page sound like soft rain to me. Others I know input their
goals into their computer, creating daily and weekly task reminders using management
software. But whether you prefer old-fashioned writing or technology, some kind of
tracking system is important.
Keeping a record of a specific behavior elevates it to a project. We become more accurate
in observing and understanding that area. The very act of monitoring a behavior, by itself,
can bring about a change.
De-clutter
The end of the year is a great time to pare down. My feng shui teacher defined clutter as
anything "unfinished, unused, unresolved, tolerated or disorganized." During the class we
were given the assignment to spend 15 minutes a day de-cluttering. Talk about restoring
energy! After each day's de-cluttering session, I feel like I've lost five pounds.
Make your goals known
Discussing goals with another person will make you extra-accountable. If you're the only
one who knows, it's too easy to procrastinate. (To read my Business Sense column on
peer coaching, go to www.louisarogers.com/article_coaching.html).
Rest!
This is an important and often overlooked step. 'Rest' can be as brief as five minutes
playing with your cat, or a week's skiing trip. It's not really about time, it's about
restoration. I like to watch the afternoon light as it travels down the kitchen wall.
Speaking of which, I've finished my column and am planning to rest for a few moments.
(And yes, as I intended, I had fun exploring ideas on paper, and the writing flowed). I'm
ready to refill my cup of hot cider. Want some more?