Several months ago I wanted more time in my day to do things that are important. I started getting up 45 minutes earlier to journal, meditate and read. I set goals for the month around writing this blog and creating art. I felt organized and accomplished, making “relentless forward progress.”
I’m not sure why it happened, but I stopped setting my early alarm and reverted back to the regular wake-up time. I’m still hitting the gym, following my macro plan and tidying the kitchen before I go to bed. But I haven’t been able to find time for creativity and personal development, even though I know they are important to me now and for the future.
“Without goals, and plans to achieve them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” Fitzhugh Dodson
After some reflection I determined that without goals, I spend all my time reacting to external stimuli. I see the reminder in my task list “Set November goals” yet I don’t make time to think about what’s next. I gaze at the books on the shelf I want to read, but shake my head because there is no quiet time at the end of the day. I find myself wishing I had time to paint, but I need to buy groceries and cook. I feel frustrated, overwhelmed and unfulfilled.
Resolving to get back on the goal-setting wagon, I pulled out an exercise found in the book Feel the Fear … and Do it Anyway by Susan Jeffers. I drew a nine-box grid and filled each box with an area of my life that is important to focus on. Next I did a “brain-dump” of ideas involved with each of the nine areas. Lastly, I picked five of the areas, wrote a goal for each to accomplish in the next 90 days plus at least one action to take towards that goal during the upcoming week.
Enter a 90X Planner (not to be confused with the P90X exercise program,) a set colored markers and some motivational stickers. (As of this writing, I’ve been using the 90X for 1 week. New habits take time. I see the potential and it’s definitely a step in the PROACTIVE direction.) Each week brings the opportunity to prioritize goals, determine actions, plan the future and reflect on the past. The biggest advantage is maintaining a focus on the big things, even amidst all the small things that each day brings.
Filling out the nine-box grid crystallized the big rocks I want in my life jar. The weekly planning and reflection lets me get those rocks into the jar before all the pebbles materialize. The daily task list reminds me to act. My perfectionist tendencies too frequently result in “getting ready to get ready” and not actually starting. All the planning in the world means nothing if I don’t take action. Ready, set, GO!