There’s an old, wise saying which goes something like this:
Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
I’ve written some articles about how important it is to plan and to set goals (you can check some of those by clicking here, here, and here). Based on the response I’ve received over these articles, I have put together a series of articles on how to create something I call an Action Plan which will help you not only set and achieve your goals but also help you design the life you dream about having.
Keeping a personal journal or a diary has been a staple of some people’s lives. They are a great way to not only chronicle your life but they can also be a great way to measure how you have grown and (hopefully) changed as a person. So why not keep a journal about your professional life or business?
For the past couple of years, I`ve been keeping track of my daily work in a work journal. My “work journal” is nothing more than a Word document which I keep open throughout the day for easy access. I use it to write down when I complete a task or come up with an idea or anything else which I feel relates to my professional life.
One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.
– Chinese Proverb
Questions. Where would we be without questions. Every great discovery, invention, idea, relationship, and so on began with a question. Everything that we do practically begins with a question:
“Should I get up now or hit the snooze button?”
“What if I invested my money into real estate instead of mutual funds?”
“If I decide not to go, what will she think of me?”
“Would I have more fun going out tonight or staying in?”
We ask ourselves questions countless times throughout the day. While our answers to these questions play a huge part in the direction our lives travel, the questions we ask ourselves are equally- if not- as important!
The gist of the post is how some people have low expectations for what they want for themselves or want to be which results in them never fully realizing their potential or having the life they truly want. It’s a great post which is well worth reading (that is, after you finish reading this one ) The reason why I’m writing about it is because I truly believe one of the main reasons why most people don’t achieve much in their life is because of their expectations. I know because I have been guilty of it myself.
In my My Six Month Goals: March 2010 – August 2010 article from earlier this month, I talked about losing weight as being one of my goals. But one thing I have discovered (to my dismay) since entering my 40s is it isn’t as easy to keep the weight off.
Throughout my 30s, I pretty much kept the same weight (between 180 to 190) which is about right for my 6’2” frame. But since hitting 40, my weight has slowly increased to around the 230 mark. Bleh.
It isn’t an unhealthy weight but it isn’t good either. My family has a history of cancer and diabetes which is one huge reason to be concerned about my weight. Another reason is I have a lot planned for my life. So getting my weight back on track and (most importantly) keeping it on track is paramount. And lastly, I want to be a healthy example for my kids. How many times have you seen overweight parents with overweight kids?
My New High-Protein Meal Plan
So I put some thought into how I can get my weight back on track. I didn’t want to jump on some fad diet nor did I want to deprive myself of the foods I enjoy. To me, that isn’t the way to go. I also wanted the new plan to help me put on body mass which will help me burn fat but also make the wifey happy.
Everyone has times when they feel discouraged or perhaps question themselves and/or their decisions. When you face times like this, it is hard to get your head out of that negative space or feel like a failure when you are not.
While it is hard to get yourself out of this rut sometimes, one trick I use which helps change my negative attitude and thoughts is to go over my list of accomplishments.
What Is A List of Accomplishments?
A list of accomplishments is simply that: a list of accomplishments or goals you have achieved in your life. These don’t have to be major or life changing accomplishments but they do have to be significant to you.
Everyone needs inspiration. Some need it more than others. I’m one of those which need it on a regular basis. I find that it helps keep the fires stoked when the day seems long or when I have one of those days when nothing seems to go right.
So what I put together was a dream sheet. A dream sheet is nothing more than a single sheet of paper broken down into four sections. Those sections are:
Personal Goals
Financial Goals
Thing Goals
Career Goals
In each section, I have two goals written down which I want to achieve in the next six months. These two goals are the ones which mean the most to me. Then underneath each goal are a couple of reasons why I want to achieve that goal.
Earlier today, I came across a link to an online video called Failure: The Secret of Success. You can watch the video by clicking this link. Curious, I clicked the link which took me to the official web site for Honda (yes, the car company). Apparently, Honda has commissioned a series of short films which in some way pertain to their company and the products they manufacture.
I’m not at all interested in cars but I was keen to see what this Failure: The Secret of Success had to say. While the short film did focus on Honda, it did so in a way which shows how failure can ultimately lead to success.
The short film focused on how Honda went through a period in 1994 when their engines were performing horribly. It was so bad, a Honda engine literally blew apart during an Indy car race- and this wasn’t the first time! This along with some other engine-related issues struck a severe blow to Honda, their image and reputation.
Learning from their mistakes, the engineers at Honda came out with a brand-new, totally revamped engine in 1995. That same year, the new Honda engine was the engine for the winner of the Indy Racing League championship. The year after that, the Honda engine was the official engine for the entire Indy Racing League, meaning their engine was the ONLY engine used in the racing cars which participated in the Indy Racing League!
In my previous article,Into The Great Wide Open, I talked about how I was going to chronicle my journey from an ordinary life to an extraordinary life. Not that I’m living a horrible life or anything remotely close to it. But if you are like me, you know there is more to life than “just getting by”. And you probably feel (as I do regarding myself) that you are capable of so much more. But for one reason or the other, you haven’t taken the necessary steps to take your life and yourself to the next level.
So what I will be doing now and in the future here at My Adventure Today is writing about my experiences- good and bad- as I work towards building the future and life I envision for myself and my family. As I mentioned already, I talked about the impetus for doing this in my previous article. Now I’m going to go over those areas of my life I want to make some changes in- some changes which you yourself might be wanting to make.
When the idea to start this blog first planted itself in my head, the intention was to create blog which inspired people to take that exhilarating leap into the great wide open. So my focus was to write articles dealing with goal setting, lifestyle design, productivity, and everything in between. Some of my favorite ones so far include The Formula For Success, How To Successfully Reach Your Goals, and Are You Doing What You Love To Do?.
But those kind of articles only carry so much weight to them. It is one thing to read about the power of belief or how to set goals but seeing those things put into action- that is where the real magic is! This is why I’m going to focus more on talking about my own experiences as I jump into the great wide open.
My name is Wesley Craig Green and I'm an entrepreneur, writer, and dreamer.
If you are interested in lifestyle design, personal development, taking control of your life, and building your own personal empire- then this is the blog for you!
There’s an old, wise saying which goes something like this:
) The reason why I’m writing about it is because I truly believe one of the main reasons why most people don’t achieve much in their life is because of their expectations. I know because I have been guilty of it myself.
