We're into the first week of 2009. Despise goal setting if you like. To your own loss. As January 1,2009 approached I pulled out my faded file on goals.I wish I had been more disciplined in my life but I did find a written history of goals set going back to 1982. I like to divide them into three sections. First professional goals. Second personal goals. Third private goals.
Perhaps there should be no difference between the last two categories but I discovered for myself unless I make this distinction I am unwilling to set the final category of goals and those matters deal with the character issues. What are some of those matters? Well they're...private.
An interesting discovery over the past quarter century of personal goal setting. I often was unable to achieve the one year goals but totally underestimated what could be accomplished in three to five years. Lesson. Just keep moving forward. Growth in most every field is exponential. We strive for the most simple things seemingly without movement and then presto the same effort produces unexpected results.
One of the exciting results of continual effort has been the results of purposeful networking.
Most of us readily admit that at the beginning of our careers it is not so much what we know as who we know. I'm not sure that reality ever truly diminishes in life.
At the end of the day we are largely a compilation of what we read and who we hang around. So it makes a great deal of sense to set goals in both those arenas of life.
By the way---one goal for 2009. Communicate more regularly with you via this blog. I've been horrible. Why would you check in if I'm not writing.
So here we go--a personal goal in public. I'll write something here no less than 3x per week. Might open the blog for your comments. If not, those of you who have my personal email address are invited to write me with your impressions, thoughts, responses and of course words of undulated admiration.
Talk to you in a couple days.
