Tuesday
Jan092007
Don't rest for too long between projects
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So you've just completed a major project, do you sit back and celebrate the success? (you should) How long for?
(not that long!!)
Silly question perhaps, but one thing I have noticed is that if you celebrate for too long and too hard between project completion and consideration for the next item on your major goal list, chances are going to be good that you will lose momentum, and you may find weeks or months have gone by - drifting along just doing "stuff". Whilst that "stuff" may need doing - dishes, laundry, surfing the net, catching up with friends, going to the movies etc etc, too many weeks of doing that and you will need a jump start to get going again. NOw please don't think, that these aren't important items, because they are....but probably not as important as those "other" things that you said you wanted.
So how can you ensure that you don't rest too long between your projects?
1. Have overlapping projects. Now I don't just mean that your projects should be similar, rather have a short term plan on the go, as well as a long term goal. For instance -
2. Have an eye on the long term goal, whilst working on the short-term ones. It's easy to think - OH I have 17 months before i need to get into my wedding dress/tux so I won't start the diet today, maybe I'll start it tomorrow. What happens is that 12 months later, you're still the same size - but now you only have 5 months to lose all the weight. Now you might achieve the goal in 5 months, it depends on how much weight you wanted to lose, but if you couldn't be bothered to start it 12 months ago, why do you think you are going to be able to stick to your plan now?
so - have a short term plan - maybe to exercise more....paint the house, clean the kitchen cupboards, finish the garden - anything that needs doing that will get you moving - bonus the kilos will also start to shift, giving you an incentive to get stuck into the next round of short-term goals, of perhaps looking at what you are sticking into your mouth on a daily basis.
or:
If your goal is to paint the outside of your house, sooner or later it's going to be too dark to paint (unless you rig spotlights), so why not have an indoors project at the same time - for example - writing a letter to everyone in your contacts book...one a night - this could take you a single evening, or 37 - it all depends how many people you know, but you know what i mean. The second project doesn't have to be as indepth as the major one, you'll just wear yourself out, but there may be other things you should/could be doing when your body is resting from the labour of the first.
3. Have a mad / would like to do sometime list....this could include - white water rafting down the grand canyon, taking a year off work and writing the bestseller, paying off the credit card debt. Sometimes it is the "mad" list that can give you all the incentives you need to get going.
4. If you have a "grand" plan, then you can choose whether or not the short term item you were going to do, will take you closer to the goal, stuck in the same place or worse still - going backwards. Say you have a mad plan to go round the world, but your credit card is maxed out, how are you going to pay for both? So your short term goals and plans would be - earn more, consume less, speak to a financial advisor, get a second credit card (no I did not say that), which then leads to the very short term goals of - make an appointment with the bank manager/financial advisor, re-write the CV and apply for those jobs you've been thinking about, not buying coffee for an entire year (work it out - it's quite scary what you can spend in a year, a few dollars at a time), cut back your shopping habits, eat what's in the fridge, freezer and pantry before buying anything else...
Remember - everything you currently do is a habit you've gotten into. Now, you need to ask - is that habit one that I am happy to keep or should I be doing something about it? But don't attack it from a negative perspective - I am going to quit smoking, rather change it to the positive - the money I don't spend on cigarettes I am going to put into an account to pay for that white water rafting trip I've always wanted to do.
Think about it.
(not that long!!)
Silly question perhaps, but one thing I have noticed is that if you celebrate for too long and too hard between project completion and consideration for the next item on your major goal list, chances are going to be good that you will lose momentum, and you may find weeks or months have gone by - drifting along just doing "stuff". Whilst that "stuff" may need doing - dishes, laundry, surfing the net, catching up with friends, going to the movies etc etc, too many weeks of doing that and you will need a jump start to get going again. NOw please don't think, that these aren't important items, because they are....but probably not as important as those "other" things that you said you wanted.
So how can you ensure that you don't rest too long between your projects?
1. Have overlapping projects. Now I don't just mean that your projects should be similar, rather have a short term plan on the go, as well as a long term goal. For instance -
2. Have an eye on the long term goal, whilst working on the short-term ones. It's easy to think - OH I have 17 months before i need to get into my wedding dress/tux so I won't start the diet today, maybe I'll start it tomorrow. What happens is that 12 months later, you're still the same size - but now you only have 5 months to lose all the weight. Now you might achieve the goal in 5 months, it depends on how much weight you wanted to lose, but if you couldn't be bothered to start it 12 months ago, why do you think you are going to be able to stick to your plan now?
so - have a short term plan - maybe to exercise more....paint the house, clean the kitchen cupboards, finish the garden - anything that needs doing that will get you moving - bonus the kilos will also start to shift, giving you an incentive to get stuck into the next round of short-term goals, of perhaps looking at what you are sticking into your mouth on a daily basis.
or:
If your goal is to paint the outside of your house, sooner or later it's going to be too dark to paint (unless you rig spotlights), so why not have an indoors project at the same time - for example - writing a letter to everyone in your contacts book...one a night - this could take you a single evening, or 37 - it all depends how many people you know, but you know what i mean. The second project doesn't have to be as indepth as the major one, you'll just wear yourself out, but there may be other things you should/could be doing when your body is resting from the labour of the first.
3. Have a mad / would like to do sometime list....this could include - white water rafting down the grand canyon, taking a year off work and writing the bestseller, paying off the credit card debt. Sometimes it is the "mad" list that can give you all the incentives you need to get going.
4. If you have a "grand" plan, then you can choose whether or not the short term item you were going to do, will take you closer to the goal, stuck in the same place or worse still - going backwards. Say you have a mad plan to go round the world, but your credit card is maxed out, how are you going to pay for both? So your short term goals and plans would be - earn more, consume less, speak to a financial advisor, get a second credit card (no I did not say that), which then leads to the very short term goals of - make an appointment with the bank manager/financial advisor, re-write the CV and apply for those jobs you've been thinking about, not buying coffee for an entire year (work it out - it's quite scary what you can spend in a year, a few dollars at a time), cut back your shopping habits, eat what's in the fridge, freezer and pantry before buying anything else...
Remember - everything you currently do is a habit you've gotten into. Now, you need to ask - is that habit one that I am happy to keep or should I be doing something about it? But don't attack it from a negative perspective - I am going to quit smoking, rather change it to the positive - the money I don't spend on cigarettes I am going to put into an account to pay for that white water rafting trip I've always wanted to do.
Think about it.
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All contents Copyright (c) 2006 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide.
January 9, 2007 at 10:38
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