Many of us welcomed in the New Year with renewed energy, hope, and enthusiasm and have committed to a list of personal and professional goals we want to achieve. We are three weeks into the New Year and, to borrow from Dr. Phil, “How’s that working for you?”
Throughout my career I have developed a deeper understanding of human performance and potential. We either lack clarity about our goals, have too many, or don’t create SMART* goals – or some combination of the three. We are creatures of habit and though we may start the year with great intentions, our habits – how we act and how we think – keep us stuck. Keep reading if this sounds familiar!
One answer to this perennial challenge? JOT it down. The acronym JOT came to me in one of those light bulb moments when you feel the stars have aligned just for you. Okay – a bit dramatic for a 3-letter acronym – but so far, people I’ve shared it with have received immediate value from its message.
JOT stands for “Just One Thing.” It’s really that simple. Write “Just One Thing” down that you want to achieve this year that matters most to you. And, as any goal setting expert would advise, break down that goal into sub-goals. So from there, write down “Just One Thing” that you want to accomplish for each quarter, each month, each week and each day that builds on your priority goal.
What could you accomplish each day if you committed to Just One Thing? Your JOT approach could be one of the following options:
- Just One Thing in the morning and Just One Thing in the afternoon
- Just One Thing for work and Just One Thing for home
- Just One Thing every 3 hours
The point is that we are so easily distracted in our 24/7 world and often have difficulty building structure and boundaries to get done what is most important to achieve our goals.
Focusing on Just One Thing will also make you more present and engaged which will lead to increased productivity, more creativity and better results because you won’t be splitting your mental focus.
If you could JOT it down and commit to Just One Thing – the one thing that is most important – you will undoubtedly gain more energy, a sense of accomplishment, and a boost in confidence.
If this concept resonates with you and you find it helpful, please Like us on Facebook and share your JOT goal.
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey
*SMART Goals are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-based.
