Goal Setting Ideas for 2011

Time off gave me the opportunity to read and listen to more news and pop culture media than usual. The myriad of suggestions is staggering. I have chosen a few I found interesting and doable. Try some and you will be well ahead of the curve.

In 2011 I will:

• Backup personal data as regularly as my office work.
• Start and end with veggies.
• Begin each day with a visualization of how I want the day to end.
• Drop a toxic person in my life.
• Nurture a friendship.
• Book all prevention medical appointments for 2011 now.
• Enforce the one-in-one-out rule when it comes to books, clothes, tools, etc.
• Reduce paper/plastic use by 10%.
• Take more photos of the people in my life.
• Place something in my workspace that makes me smile.
• Delegate a mundane task.
• Increase charitable giving of time, money, or advocacy.
• Interact with people of another generation.
• Refuse to talk about work during meals.
• Increase sleep by half an hour a day.
• Reduce calories by 100 per day.
• Change my hair -- style, color, quality, something.
• Try one new way to market myself, personally and professionally.
• Hide the clothes I wear too often.
• Meditate five minutes a day.
• Edit my Contact List.
• Talk with an elder; get the real scoop on the family(ies).
• Stand during phone calls.
• Update my will and feel obligated to no one.
• Delete 20% of my e-mails daily.
• Limit my time on social networking to “really fun” or “useful.”
• Read someone you disagree with.
• Play a mind game (crossword, Sudoku, jumble) daily.
• Cry as needed, laugh when in doubt.
• Write more thank you notes; send fewer complaints.
• And Jane’s professional favorite…hire a coach.

That’s right, most people will think this list interesting, maybe even useful. Then they’ll do nothing. Why? Because their day-to-day obscures the eye-on-the-prize and the immediate demands supersede the future. A coach can help you keep on-point and assist you in getting there faster.

(c) Jane Cranston.