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JOT It Down For A Successful New Year

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.

 

JOT Bracelent
JOT Bracelet compliments of bobbi kahn design jewelry

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Success Requires You to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

You have likely heard the saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results.” Upon writing my 2013 goals, I realized I was fulfilling the essence of that quote when I transferred my unfinished 2012 goals to 2013. I’m a firm believer in “progress, not perfection” so I don’t have an issue with extending a goal that had not yet been fully completed, but something was missing. I wasn’t feeling very motivated about the New Year. I realized I was missing a stretch goal – something that would be meaningful to advance my business. So I added one stretch goal which will force me out of my comfort zone and require me to do things I haven’t done before.

It’s easy for us to repeat our actions and hard for us to do things differently because we are creatures of habit. Researchers suggest that up to 95% of our daily actions and thoughts are habitual. That’s a staggering statistic and when I facilitate the Energy for Life workshop for Allstate employees, they all agree that their lives fit this number. If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll keep getting what we’re getting. The best example of this is how we build a muscle. Say you have been using a 15lb weight to build a bicep muscle for more than a year. You’ve probably gotten quite comfortable with that weight and your bicep will not grow any stronger. But if you want to build that muscle, then it would require you to increase your weight. You may not feel discomfort until the 8th or 9th repetition, but when you feel that discomfort, you know there will be results.

If you are happy and fulfilled both personally and professionally then your 95% is working for you. Congratulations. If there’s something you are striving for this year at work or personally, then it will require you to move from habit to more conscious effort. And guaranteed, your actions will feel awkward. I’m not suggesting you experience “pain” – that’s pushing yourself too far. But when you feel that you are in a place of discomfort and can say, “I can do this” then that’s a golden opportunity to advance toward your goal.

I committed myself to get outside my comfort zone in some way every day. Today that meant running two minutes beyond my usual time at a fast pace on the treadmill. Yesterday, it was staying silent when my son spilled his drink all over the kitchen table (I’m a bit of a neat freak so imagine my usual – “habitual” – way of communicating with him after such an incident). Find small ways to lean into discomfort and you will build much more than a bicep muscle.

I am interested in supporting you in advancing your goals. Please post your questions or commitments to getting outside your comfort zone.

And join me at the Chicago Women’s Conference on April 19, 2013 in downtown Chicago for an opportunity to stretch beyond your comfort zone, meet like-minded women, and learn practical ways to advance your work and your life.

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Inspiring Women Conference is 3 Weeks Away

The Inspiring Women Conference being held in Naperville is less than 3 weeks away! I’m honored to be sharing the podium with keynote speaker, Kim Ervin, Executive HR Director for Heartland Food Corp. who will be talking about how she successfully broke through the glass ceiling.

Click here to learn more about Kim and why she chose to share her inspiring story with other professional women at the Inspiring Women Conference.  You will be sent to my guest-blogger and conference Founder, Deanne DeMarco.
To register for the conference, please click here.

 

I look forward to seeing you there!

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Spring Forward

As a Midwesterner, when the calendar says “First day of Spring”, I admit to getting a little giddy.  It helps when you see the daffodils peeking their green stems up out of the ground, when you hear the birds chirping in the morning and when everything just smells like “spring”.  For someone who has not lived through a cold and snowy winter, these things may seem poetically lame (as was recently told to me by my friend who has lived her entire life in Southern California), but it’s truly a season for new and renewed life.  It’s a time to get out of the dark and welcome fresh ideas and new opportunities. 

 What matters most to you as you transition into this new season?  Where you can move into something new or how can you welcome a new opportunity?  If you’re unsure, then let the spring surroundings guide you.  Physically take yourself outside and use all your senses to take in the newness of your surroundings.  Ask yourself these 3 questions:

  1. What is going well for me right now?
  2. Where in my work or personal life do I want to create something new or fresh?  And, what would it look like if I achieved the results I most want?
  3. What would be the costs of staying status quo and what would be the benefits if I achieved the results I most want?

Next, decide what steps you can easily take to moving forward.  Remember, this is a time to “Spring Forward” so take the opportunity to launch into What Matters Most for you.

Happy Spring!