I have been focusing on strategies and goals this week for my clients and for myself. Reflecting on what is being done currently and what the new outcome will be is pretty energizing. As I was thinking about this topic, I came across this article by Sara Caputo called: September is the new January. This article sums it up nicely. We don’t need to wait until January to make changes. We can use the “back to school” timeframe that we all grew up with as a good motivator to start executing on these changes now.
I think people hear the words “goals or strategies” and they see the work that goes into changing those things as very formal and complicated. Let’s change that perception and make it more fun. Go somewhere that gives you energy, makes you feel creative and just start. Take the opportunity to look at something that isn’t working in your life and brainstorm some ideas for 10-15 minutes to change it. Do it today. Don’t come up with a bunch of excuses why you can’t do it. Take time at lunch, on your commute, while you are working out or in between meetings.
Brainstorm 5 or more out of the box ideas. Just write down whatever comes to mind and know that there is nothing that is too crazy. Use post it notes, a bullet journal, an app on your phone or a whiteboard to capture them. Now pick at least one of those ideas and put it into practice. It is that simple. I challenge you to do this today and come up with one new goal that you are going to implement now.
Imagine if you did this today and you already accomplished this goal by January? How amazing would that be to accomplish a goal months earlier than you would have before? There is an old Chinese Proverb that says: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” Go out and plant your tree today.