If you’re just joining us in the Productivity 101 series, you might want to start with the first post, as this post is all about working with the Strategic Level information that is uncovered during that phase. If not, you should have a pile of paper, with a personal goal at the top of each sheet.
Don’t have that yet. Grab some paper and get going. One goal per page with plenty of space underneath. Don’t forget, there are no wrong answers here. While The Productive Seller is all about sales (click here if you arrived at this post and want to know what it’s all about!), this exercise has a broad focus, so get it all in there. Want to quit sales and be a fighter pilot, write it down.
Remember, all goals are possible; it’s just a case of planning, directing your resources at the ones that matter and managing the process effectively (the productivity bit).
Let’s get started
1. Grab one of your goal sheets. For our example, let’s say that I really do want to leave sales and become a fighter pilot (I don’t – apparently people shoot at you!).
2. Draw a line under the goal and start to write down all of the things that you will have to do for this to take place. (e.g. speak to air force recruiting office, plan budget for salary drop, overcome my fear of heights, etc).
3. Just keep going. Go mad. Need more paper to fit it all in…good. The more the merrier. Don’t worry about organising the list for now, just list like your life depended on it.
4. Finished. Excellent. Pop it in your tray/folder/dog (just checking you’re still concentrating!) and grab another one. Repeat steps 1-4. If you are starting to panic, read on first.
One of two things will start to happen to you
- Either you will start to feel enthused like never before about the incredible range of opportunities that your life has and feel overcome by the richness of existence
OR
- you will be overwhelmed by the complexity of your fulfilling your goals and become despondent. Don’t. We are going to make this very simple in our next post.
The Next Step
If you’re panicking, stop! It is all going to become very simple shortly. In the next post you will start to create a plan to take you from where you are now to having the life you dream of. In the meantime, have faith in yourself and keep scribbling.
If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, Technorati or Digg.
