Thank you for the amazing response to the first issue! Thanks, thanks, thanks to everyone for the encouragement, pushing and prodding... to launch Best Impressions and fulfill a dream / goal of mine.
Time to add another rule to Murphy's Law: No matter how many times you read it and have friends proof it -- the minute it leaves your server you see the TYPO!! Oh well, I'm working on the Get it Good and Get it Out rule these days... as many of you know I've struggle with the old rule of paralysis by perfectionism... Now, there is nothing wrong with perfect, but it shouldn't stop you from shooting for your dreams.
To Success!
Sharon
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Every Thursday, I get a wonderful cartoon postcard in the mail from my dear friend, Don Pickens - of Pickens Pals fame. I got this one and I want to share it with you... it is in response to last week's article. If you missed last week's article it is available on the impressionengineers site.
I was thinking about how long we had been sending mail back and forth... it has to be over 10 years! As I look through all the cards, it is a snap shot of our lives. I email or talk with Don regularly and every Thursday comes a wonderful postcard—one side is something from my life and the other side is something from his. Wonderful, just wonderful!
Nothing is more wonderful then long friendships! My sons have been exchanging the same 2 Christmas cards with a family friend for 24 years. Friendships and the traditions created within them are the special points in life... What traditions do you treasure?
That Four Letter Word - GOAL
Some people think goal is a "four-letter word"... It may be in reality, but it's a great way to know the road ahead. It does take some time to decide on your goals, but view it as a road map for your life. I had an amazing discovery in the last couple of weeks. Goals work best when written down! I know, that may be a DUH moment for some of you, but for me it has been an eye-opener. You can do it on a computer, or handwritten, or even flip charts, whatever works for you. I chose a bullentin board and color-coded index cards. (I'm a visul learner) I did a brain dump over the holidays with all the ideas for great projects I've been holding in my head and was surprised that there were 11 main ones, many with mulitple side ideas.
Goals gain strength when written down. Since I did the bullention board, I've been amazed at what I've gotten done. As good ideas come to me for ways to complete each project, I make a little note on another card and pin it under the main project. It works best if it is more than just scribbling something on the back of a bar napkin—goals need to be complete and focused, the focus may not come right away, but still get it written down.
So what is the difference between a dream and a goal?
The main difference between a dream and a goal is a goal has a date or number.
Our GOAL FORMULA looks like this:
VERB + NOUN + DATE/NUMBER = GOAL
E.g.,
• Increase sales by 20% in 2007.
• Produce 1 million XYZ Widgets by June 30, 2007.
Write the goal in the positive, not the negative. Set goals for what we want, not for what we don't want. Make sure that what we are going to spend our time on is something we want, not just something that sounds good. The more specific the better. Write it out in complete detail.
That's it. Think it. Write it.
p.s. Set your goal high enough, even if you don't make it within your time frame, you are just that much closer... I did an Internet search for a good quote and found this quote that was credited to Confucius (China's most famous teacher and philosopher, 551-479 BC) “If you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it's OK. But you've got to shoot for something. A lot of people don't even shoot.” Now, it doesn't really read like something the ancient philospher might say, but it's a good thought anyway.
p.p.s. Telling another person adds a deeper dimension to the process. Having a witness(es) makes a difference when Bright Shiny Opportunities (BSOs) come up throughout the year that will affect whether the goals get closer or further away from what is wanted.
Go for it.
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The difference between a goal and dream is a number
VERB + NOUN + DATE/NUMBER = GOAL
Write it down. Make it real.
—impressionengineers.com
A printable Action Quote pdf—Goal Formula.pdf