How Did You Do?

Good Morning,

How did you do?

As we stand at the beginning of a new year we often look back at the year just ended to see if it turned out like we had hoped or planned.  Some of you undoubtedly are glad to have 2019 over. Hopefully, many of you have high hopes for 2020. Did I start to exercise, did I start saving, did I worry less, did I…?  If your personality is like mine you begin to analyze the why or why not of the results.  To a point this is OK, but that kind of analysis can also be paralyzing – especially if some of your major goals went unreached.  

If everything went like you hoped and planned; if you achieved all your goals, then congratulations.  Going forward you might ask yourself if your goals stretched you enough?  Maybe this year you need to dream and plan a bit bigger; challenge yourself more.

If, on the other hand, you see a list of goals and plans unreached, that is just what they are – unreached goals.  They do not have to define you.  It doesn’t mean you are incapable of accomplishing things in life.  It doesn’t mean you are a failure.  The bigger question might be, “did you fail to accomplish your goals even though you tried, or did you fail to reach them because you never really went after them?”  There is a big difference.  If it were because of the latter, then I would submit they really weren’t goals anyway, but just dreams without anything behind them.  A goal requires a deeper level of commitment and focus.

Years ago a colleague of mine shared this definition of a goal.  He said to truly be a goal and not just a dream then you have to be able to answer yes to every single question – no exceptions.  

The questions are:

1. Do you want it?
2. Do you need it”
3. Can you afford it in terms of
   1. Financially
   1. Time
   1. Personal growth pain
   1. Family sacrifice

If the answers are not all yes, then it is merely a dream and probably won’t happen.

I hope this helps you as you set your sights on 2020 and what you want to accomplish.  If you need some help, just send me an email.

Live this week on purpose,
Ron Klopfenstein