Goals – Page 21 – Mark S. Brown

Preparing for Tomorrow May Be the Most Important Thing You Do Today

When you are out of shape, exercising is not fun. It hurts. It is hard. Out of shape people try to avoid it. However, when you are in shape, exercise is completely different. A fit person loves to exercise. They get a lift from the workout.

What is the difference? Preparation. Their body is prepared for the workout. It is ready, trained, and it performs well.

Isn’t that the way with everything in life? If we are prepared, we do well. We have opportunity. We are not afraid to jump in.

There is a great correlation between preparation and success. Do you agree? Then today, on your agenda, schedule time to prepare yourself for what you want to achieve tomorrow. And also time for what you want to achieve next week, next month, and next year.

Really? We are already busy. We already can’t get everything done. So what do we do?

It is your choice. You control your calendar. You can either continue to achieve your best day by day, or you invest some of your time preparing for a better tomorrow.

Are You Preparing for an Opportunity?

Last week I wrote about how we need to always be looking for opportunities. This week, I reflected on the second part of that process. We need to always be preparing for the opportunities that we want. This will increase our level of success in taking advantage of the opportunity.

If you are like me, this is very hard to do. I find working towards a goal when when the benefit is not clearly identified very difficult. There is so much resistance facing us every day.

Here are some things I consider for staying motivated and focused:

Know What You Want. I try to prepare for the future which I want to achieve. I stay motivated by continually renewing and reviewing my vision. Keeping the goal in sharp focus can help me stay on track.
Find Resources. Resources can come in the form of people, mentors, organizations, associations, classes, workshops, magazines, and books. I find staying motivated is easier if I don’t rely on just one type of resource.
Find a Way to Practice. I love to read. I learn so much from books. But if I don’t use new found knowledge, then over time it will fade. If I want to really learn something, I have to find a way to practice.
Expand Out of Your Comfort Zone. For me like most people, this is challenging. We like to do what we know. Unfortunately, most breakthroughs occur when you get out of those routines.
Do the Work. Following through requires a commitment of time, money, and effort. If I can find some time every day to work on preparation, it helps me build momentum over a long period of time. It creates a habit of growth.

I have learned that the more I prepare, the easier it becomes to see opportunities. It is almost like one creates the other. I hope you are finding time every day to prepare for your future.

The Secret of Getting Things Done

When I was 9, my older brother was responsible for shoveling snow from the driveway after a snowfall. To me, shoveling snow looked like fun. When I asked to help, of course he said yes. But after shoveling snow for only a few minutes, I didn’t want to continue. It wasn’t fun. It was work.

If you are like me, some of the goals you have set for yourself feel as difficult as shoveling snow. We discover that some of them require a lot more work then we are willing to give.

I know that to accomplish a difficult goal, I must be willing to do the work. It can’t be any simpler. To accomplish something, I need to take action.

A few weeks ago, I was shoveling the snow from my driveway. The process was the same as it was 45 years previously. It is still hard work.

The difference now is I did not give up. I continued shoveling until I had cleared the the driveway, the sidewalk, and the steps to the front door. Why? Because it needed to be done.

It has made me reflect on my goals. Am I really doing the work required?

Sometimes we just need to get started. Sometimes we need to be reminded that it is not easy. Next time you feel stuck, remember what it is like to shovel snow for a few hours. And then get to work.

How Committed Are You to Improving Yourself?

How committed are you to making yourself better? How satisfied are you with your current level of performance, current skills, and results?

I usually find that people are either committed and working to improve their skills, or they are making no effort and are content with their current situation.

When I think about the people that consistently seek opportunities to grow and what makes them unique, I have found these four attributes.

Know their strengths and weaknesses. They typically know themselves. They have evaluated their skills. They focus on making their strengths even stronger.
Willing to invest in their growth. Those most committed to growth, invest their money in their growth. They believe in themselves.
Willing to step out of their comfort zone. Getting out of your normal routine, and exploring new options are a way of life for these people. They like to learn new things.
Willing to fail. Overcoming failure may be the most important trait for people that want to continue to get better. Failure stops many people from future success. But those that turn failure into learning, will try again. Great success does not come without failure.

Where are you when it comes to these attributes? If you are like me, your intent is always bigger than your actions. Just knowing these attributes changes nothing. It is the action that counts. I admit I struggle staying motivated to put all of these into action every day.

No matter how well you do on these attributes, there is always room for improvement.