What You Choose to Focus On, Is What You Become
"Write down your short and long term GOALS four times a year. 2 personal, 2 business and one health goal. A university found only 3 percent of the students had written goals. 20 years later, the same 3 percent were wealthier than the other 97% combined."
- taken from http://www.lululemon.com/culture/manifesto/text
Two Christmases ago I received some very nice workout shorts from my sister. What might have been more important was the bag that the shorts came in. It had a bunch of quotes on it, one of which is the aforementioned quote at the top of this page. I had some time yesterday, so I got two sets of five Post-It notes, one set for the long-term and one set for the short term, and made my goal listing. After my first pass, my sister shot me an email and said, "You need to apply the SMART acronym to your goals--goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. So I reworked them a touch. Here are the results:
Short Term (less than one year):
1. Professional #1: Pass the CPA Exam in 2007
2. Professional #2: Join a professional organization in 2007 (AICPA, NAREIT, etc.)
3. Personal #1: Eliminate all consumer debt by July 2007
4. Personal #2: Learn to dance the Tango in 2007
5. Health: Bring my lunch to work 3 times per week, and have healthy snacks available in a desk drawer.
Long-Term (one to two years from now):
1. Professional #1: Be promoted to Senior Financial Reporting Analyst
2. Professional #2: Get a real estate licence
3. Personal #1: Break 1:43:00 in the 2008 PF Chang's Rock 'N
4. Personal #2: Swim 3,000 meters continuously
5. Health: (Open to update)
As I have said before, a person ultimately becomes what they choose to focus on. With that said, I can sit in a locked room, and focus on World Peace, but that doesn’t contribute anything to the cause. If you want to get anything of substance done, their needs to be accountability, and you have to have fun in the process.
So, those are my thoughts. I’d love to see people’s goals posted on this site. I’m curious as to what people are working on and how they are going about achieving such things.
Namaste
- taken from http://www.lululemon.com/culture/manifesto/text
Two Christmases ago I received some very nice workout shorts from my sister. What might have been more important was the bag that the shorts came in. It had a bunch of quotes on it, one of which is the aforementioned quote at the top of this page. I had some time yesterday, so I got two sets of five Post-It notes, one set for the long-term and one set for the short term, and made my goal listing. After my first pass, my sister shot me an email and said, "You need to apply the SMART acronym to your goals--goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. So I reworked them a touch. Here are the results:
Short Term (less than one year):
1. Professional #1: Pass the CPA Exam in 2007
2. Professional #2: Join a professional organization in 2007 (AICPA, NAREIT, etc.)
3. Personal #1: Eliminate all consumer debt by July 2007
4. Personal #2: Learn to dance the Tango in 2007
5. Health: Bring my lunch to work 3 times per week, and have healthy snacks available in a desk drawer.
Long-Term (one to two years from now):
1. Professional #1: Be promoted to Senior Financial Reporting Analyst
2. Professional #2: Get a real estate licence
3. Personal #1: Break 1:43:00 in the 2008 PF Chang's Rock 'N
4. Personal #2: Swim 3,000 meters continuously
5. Health: (Open to update)
As I have said before, a person ultimately becomes what they choose to focus on. With that said, I can sit in a locked room, and focus on World Peace, but that doesn’t contribute anything to the cause. If you want to get anything of substance done, their needs to be accountability, and you have to have fun in the process.
So, those are my thoughts. I’d love to see people’s goals posted on this site. I’m curious as to what people are working on and how they are going about achieving such things.
Namaste
posted by Zen_Accountant at 8:15 AM
5 Comments:
I have written my goals every year since 1986. This discipline has been very powerful. My only regret is that I did not save those lists. It would be very interesting to review them now, 20 years later.
That said, this year I did, of course, make a new list. I usually do this exercise during the first few weeks of January.
I have a slightly different set of topics: professional, physical,
spiritual, and financial. Also, I only do this once per year. Interestingly, when I was single (and wanting to be married) I made a long list of the qualities I was looking for in a husband. I ranked them in order of importance. Guess what? I'm very happily married to the man of my
list. I will email you more specifics of my 2007 goals as the space here is limited.
short term:
professional #1: reach my budget
professional #2: become independant of other coworkers in initial cusomter meetings
personal #1: join two organizations: a political party and space related organization
personal #2: achieve full control over my finances so as two be able to plan purchases such as vacations and so on.
health: eat helthier lunches and prepare what to eat for dinner a day in advance so i dont end up buying something on impulse. have healthy snack at work.
Long term:
Professional #1: Hold a speech at a professional conference about search technology
Professional #2: Become a team leader (our model is still in the works so hard to how the roles will look like)
Personal "1: Having contributed something of medium to low importance in the two organizations i will join.
Personal #2: travel to somewhere exotic for a spiritual retreat with someone.
Health: run oslo marathon
i appreciate any feedback i can get on my goals. from you too, Aunt Shelly!
Axel
As Annie said the goals should be SMART. So, running the Oslo marathon should include your training schedule. (By the way, I spent 10 days in Norway two years ago. It was beautiful.)In order to eat healthier I signed up for an online diet diary and analysis (just computes calories). List the organizations by name that you want to join or a date when you will decide which ones to join. Again, a date when you will become independent of coworkers or how you will achieve that. I think you get the idea. That said, some of my goals over the years were pretty
nonspecific (a house in Newport)
and I still achieved them.
Just to give you a "heads up"--the fun is in the process. For a long time I thought I would be happy when I met my goals. That was a big let down. The house, Mercedes,
clothes, money, trips, even shoes
didn't fill the deep spot way inside. That's why my spiritual goals are now part of my plan. Good luck--intention makes life better!
Short Term (less than one year):
1. Professional #1: Put in the necessary time and effort to pass CFA Level II
2. Professional #2: If successful in #1, study for Series 7 License
3. Personal #1: Outperform S&P 500 in my investment account this year
4. Personal #2: Read at least one book per month
5. Health: Work out at the gym or swimming pool at least three times per week
Long-Term (one to two years from now):
1. Professional #1: Become a CFA charterholder
2. Professional #2: Finish 7 more speeches to be a Competent Toastmaster
3. Personal #1: Return at least 10% per year in my investment accounts
4. Personal #2: Continue to read at least one book per month
5. Personal #3: Spend more time with friends and family
6. Health: Continue to work out at least three times per week
thanks aunt shelly, i will work on my goals...
Axel
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