Today you probably have some idea where you are going. In today's environment (pandemic) that universe might be greatly restricted ... but you likely have a plan for the day.
It is not so hard to picture where you are going today, but do you have a bigger picture beyond today and this week and maybe even this month? Does that plan include your career, your health, your relationships and your personal interests?
Creating a plan can seem a little daunting until you break it down into logical steps. Ask yourself some who, what, where and how questions.
"It takes as much energy to wish as to plan." Eleanor Roosevelt
Where would like your career to go? Where do you want to be next year? How about 5 years from now?
What do you enjoy doing? What skills do you have? What skills can you develop?
How can you get ahead? How can you affect the outcome? Can you get training or a certification? Can you take on more responsibility at work? Is there an opportunity for you to learn new skills?
Who do you know that can help you in your career ... with advice, with support, perhaps with opportunity?
The Mae West quote might not have been in this exact context, but it works ... if you take charge of your life then you have the best chance of reaching your potential.
- If you don't know where you are going, then you certainly won't know how to get there, or even whether you have arrived. This is true geographically and in life!
- If you have trouble defining where that end point is, or what it looks like, then pick a point along the way! e.g. If you don't know what your career will look like in 10 years, then decide where you would like to be in a year.
- Aim big. If you shoot for the stars you might not get there, but you will go a long way towards them. If you aim for the roof, you might not even get there!
- How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! So ... plan your strategy for success in small bits, it will make it easier to achieve.
- Review your plans regularly, make sure you are tracking to plan and adjust accordingly.
- Get help! Find mentors, people that will help you.
- Treat your life seriously but enjoy it ... you only get one shot! So, make sure you do what you want with it ... and make sure you take pleasure in your successes!
- Hard work and good planning will get you a LONG way! If you apply some smarts to that formula you will rock the world!
- It's not all about you! Sometimes you get more by giving. You will need to figure this out for yourself, but my advice is to "give" as much as you can.
- It is never too late to start ... as long as you do start!
