>This morning I was driving down the M3 approaching Winchester Services. The autumn leaves were flying through the air and falling like snowflakes, but large brown snowflakes. It made me think that the summer is over and we’re about to head into a darker wintry season. I’ll always be the last to say summer has gone. I love to hang onto any warmth that is around and keep my coat use until absolutely necessary.
The light at the end of the tunnel is, of course, the spring. I don’t know why, but every year I see that as a good marker point by which to attain goals by. “If only I could get XY & Z done by then.” We all like to spend more time outside in the summer so why not set and achieve some specific goals by Easter and, therefore, not give yourself a hard time when going to a friend’s BBQ or taking a forest walk when work tasks are begging for your attention?
However, as good an idea as this is, when Christmas is over you’ll think, “Only 13 weeks go to go Easter,” so why not take it one step further? What you can achieve BEFORE Christmas? What would be possible? Why not just go ahead and set some goals right now? Don’t be safe, be ridiculous. Falling short of a large goal is far better than achieving a goal hardly worthy of a mention.
Here are mine:
1. I want to have my book finished. Not just written but edited, proofed and printed. What a great Christmas present that’ll make for some lucky people!!!!
2. I want five new clients to work with on a new product I’m just putting together. They’ll receive 6 promotional components that will make a massive difference to their sales enquiries and long-term client loyalty.
3. There’s a sales and marketing system I need to create for a company in West Sussex.
4. And lastly, I want to launch my monthly hiFLYER email. I have been meaning to since about June but have allowed other things to get in the way. So December will be my first episode.
Only 7.5 weeks to go until the 25th December. My motivation will be the relief of having finished these things so that when we all start work again on Monday the 7th January 2014 I do not have to worry about the book, the new clients, the marketing programme or the hiFLYER email. They’re all finished, on board, nailed and launched, respectively.
What are you going to achieve by then so you can enjoy Christmas more? Are you going to set yourself a 7-week deadline? If not, you’re a BIG POOF!
