I have resisted structure all my life.
I didn’t necessarily articulate as such but I now realize this is what I was doing.
Structure felt too caged – boxed in…after all – I am a creative spirit! I need free flowing, idea exchanging, vast expanses of time exploring for me to do my best work.
But was I being my best self, getting up every day with a blank slate? Being pulled in any direction? A phone call here, an interesting soundbite from the Today’s Show there, a trip to the refrigerator, checking emails, more phone calls several visits to Facebook just to make sure it was still there! 🙂 Crazy! And then it was time for lunch!
I tried EVERYTHING! Which translates into: I tried the same thing over and over and yes, expecting a different outcome. I wrote my goals down, I created a to-do list and then I got busy. Except I found I wasn’t really finishing what I had  written down. All I had was pages and pages of good intentions but nothing ever really got done.
Sure I was completing client projects (hey if I didn’t work I didn’t get paid d-uh) BUT I didn’t feel as if I was growing. I felt stuck.
That is until I realized that my goals needed to be MY GOALS and if they weren’t then I needed to fix that. It really wasn’t about what anyone else wanted it was about what I wanted. I needed to express those goals in a way that aligned with what I believed or else it would never work for me. So although most goal setting advice will suggest that goals need to be SMART this wasn’t working for me.
My personal philosophy is that it is not in my power to control the HOW and WHEN just to identify what I want and then put in the effort needed to achieve that. What works for me is to state in the present my goal as if it’s already happened and operate as that person. So for my goal weight – in thinking from that place I am now making choices from the mindset of someone weighing that amount. (Notice I am not using figures! 🙂 GOOD!!! It’s my goal lol).
I also realized that I wasn’t taking care of myself. A recent doctor’s visit suggested that I 
include Calcium and D in addition to my multivitamin and I was managing to forget to take them on a daily basis. I also wanted to study my craft daily, walk, and journal about my daily accomplishments. Recently I also had to add stretches, exercises, icing and applying Biofreeze  – actions that I MUST take every day now that my shoulder is frozen – to my daily regimen.
I needed to include next steps for all my client projects so that I could move things along without leaving anything for the last minute and finally I needed to include chores around the house, outdoor yard and garden.
I simplified everything using checklists.
Everyday I list 5 things – JUST 5 – 4 pertaining to client projects and the 5th relating to a chore for that day.
I then have a self care checklist which includes a daily walk, my vitamins AM and PM, my shoulder stretches AM and PM, my journaling, and my learning time.
Since designing my day using these checklists I have discovered three things:
I feel like I’m making progress
I feel purposeful and fulfilled
There is satisfaction in ticking things off the list but I also find myself stretching just a bit to complete everything and feeling wonderfully satisfied at the end.
Now – do I want you to copy this?
HELL NO!
This works for me. I don’t know what system will work for you. The only thing I know for sure is that you need structure. You need to develop daily priorities based on personal needs, importance and goals – yours and those of your customers.
David Kekich says:
People will do almost anything to stay in their comfort zones. If you want to accomplish anything get out of your comfort zone. Strive to increase order and discipline in your life. Discipline usually means doing the opposite of what you FEEL like doing. The easy roads to discipline are:
- Setting deadlines
- Discovering and doing what you do best, what’s important and what’s enjoyable to you
- Focusing on habits by replacing your bad habits and thought patterns, one by one over time, with good habits and thought patterns.
Be encouraged! If I could create a system that works for me, so can you. It just takes understanding yourself and knowing what WILL and WON’T work for you!
What would your life look like if you could power your own success, never feel confused about what you need to do and never hesitate to do it?
- Do you have clarity around WHO YOU REALLY ARE?
- Are you being noticed for your contribution in your current role?
- Do you know WHAT you need to do to get the results you want?
Your expertise is your business! 