As we start the New Year, it’s the ideal time to take a look behind and ahead. While living in the moment is the ideal, the past has lessons to teach us, if we’re aware enough to pay attention. The future is waiting for us. It’s wide open with possibilities, opportunities, challenges and successes.
The New Year is the perfect time for Organized Planning.
If you’ve ever read “Think and Grow Rich,” by Napoleon Hill, then you know the importance of organized planning. Even contemporary thought leaders in the field of success like Timothy Ferris stress the importance of planning.
The New Year allows you to concentrate on a specific period of time. Sure, any old day would work. You could sit down on July 12th and look back at the past year and forward to the upcoming year, and in fact you should make a habit of planning regularly, however the New Year puts everything in a nice neat package.
And it’s a time of reflection
And a time of inspiration
The New Year has a special effect on many of us and it’s just smart to put that emotion to good use.
What is Organized Planning and How Does it Fit With My New Year?
Organized planning is the step that happens when your hopes and dreams start taking form and you’re preparing for action. “But I’ve already done that,” you say?
Great, however a business doesn’t continue to thrive, grow and prosper unless you continue to dream, plan and take action. And honestly, there’s never a better time to plan a year than when it’s brand spanking new.
So…
Your first step is to noodle. Think about and contemplate, without boundaries or limitations, what you want to accomplish in 2010. Here are just a few ideas to get your gears greased and your brain spinning fluidly:
Do you want to publish a book?
Do you want to launch an entirely new business?
Do you want to fine tune your customer base so you’re working with, and only with, your ideal customer?
Do you want to partner with someone you respect and admire?
Do you want to host a conference that people from all around the world attend?
Do you want to create and launch an innovative product that will change the world?
Do you want to sell your business?
These are all huge goals, and of course with the right planning and determination they’re all completely attainable too. However, your goals might be smaller. You may simply want to work less and make more. You may want to eliminate some of those tasks you dislike and focus on tasks you enjoy and that drive profits.
You may want to spend more time with your family or focus on your personal life. Those are notable goals too and as an entrepreneur, you can plan and create the life you want. The key is to decide what you want, set an intention, create a plan, and take action.
Assessing The Past and Planning For the Future
The best way to determine a course of action is sometimes to take a look at the past – to assess your performance, successes and failures. These Self Analysis questions are taken directly from Think and Grow Rich:
1. Have I attained the goal that I established as my objective for this year?
2. Have I delivered service of the best possible quality of which I was capable?
3. Have I delivered service in the greatest possible quantity of which I was capable?
4. Has the spirit of my conduct been harmonious and cooperative at all times?
5. Have I permitted the habit of procrastination to decrease my efficiency and if so, to what extent?
6. Have I improved my personality and if so, in what ways?
7. Have I been persistent in following my plans through to completion?
8. Have I reached decisions promptly and definitely on all occasions?
9. Have I permitted fears to decrease my efficiency?
10. Have I been over or under cautious?
11. Has my relationship with others in work been pleasant or unpleasant and if it’s been unpleasant, how much of that has been my fault?
12. Have I dissipated any of my energy through lack of concentration of effort?
13. Have I been open-minded and tolerant in connection with all subjects?
14. In what way have I improved my ability to provide service?
15. Have I been intemperate in any of my habits?
16. Have I expressed any form of egotism?
17. Has my conduct toward my colleagues been such that it induced them to respect me?
18. Have my opinions and decisions been based on guesswork or accuracy of analysis and thoughts?
19. Have I followed the habit of budgeting my time, my expenses and my income and have I been conservative in these budgets?
20. How much time have I devoted to unprofitable effort which I might have used to better advantage?
21. How may I re-budget my time and change my habits so I will be more efficient in the coming year?’
22. Have I been guilty of any conduct that was not approved by my conscience?
23. In what ways have I provided more service and a better service than I was paid for?
24. Have I been unfair to anyone and if so in what way?
25. If I had been the purchaser of my own services (or products) for the year, would I have been satisfied with my purchase?
26. Has the purchaser of my services (or products) been satisfied with what I provided and if not, why not?
27. Am I in the right business and if not, why not?
28. What is my present rating on the fundamental principles of success?
These 28 questions take you not only into what’s gone right and wrong in your business over the past year but It’s also a deep personal assessment. Take some time to contemplate your answers and the direction they take you. An honest assessment will likely provide you with everything you need to set new goals for the upcoming year and a plan to achieve them.
One Final Note
While this type of deep organized planning and reflection may work best on an annual basis, it’s vital to integrate planning into your routine. Not only planning and prioritizing your day but setting aside good chunks of time on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis to assess and analyze your data and your goals.
As an entrepreneur, your job is to do more than simply manage your business, you must make it the best business it can be, make your life the best life it can be and that, quite frankly, takes a commitment to regular assessment and planning.
May you have a very prosperous, healthy and joyous 2010!
Warm Regards,
Jeremy Gislason
SFW INC Help Desk:
http://www.MMEhelp.com
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