The Learning Curve

Now that this new year of 2009 is in full swing, I have learned from 2008 that the biggest lesson I had to not reaching the life I wanted was due to the distractions that I allowed in my life.  There was more information available, read, saved and not read, texted, emailed, started and not started than I can ever remember.  There was more stress imposed on me, or I allowed to be imposed on me than ever in my life. 

The truth is, this stress and all of its different components was really created, even invited into my life by me.  My Blackberry that allows me to be in constant contact has created an enormous obligation in my mind to respond immediately, or feel bad about ignoring messages.  The news that is constantly being updated is giving nothing but gloom and doom.  The goals that I started with were distorted by the many different items that “I had to react to”.  If the new year is going to be better than the last year, then I have to be responsible for it…only me.

So for this year to be much more productive with the enormous opportunities being brought to me, the only way for me (you) to intentionally have the life that we want this year is to commit to our focus and be proactive about the steps we take.  Are we going to move closer to our objectives, or consistently off track by reacting to what the next hour brings?  So here are my steps for complete laser focus on 2009.

1) Name my top three priorities for 2009. Write them down on index cards, desktop, wherever to see everyday.  What are the three most important areas of my life to improve?  Commit to “why ” these are my most important objectives for this year.  Commit it to prayer daily.  Determine the value created for the achievement of these objectives.  Visualize the success of this accomplishment and how life improves because of this.  Bring it to this very moment in your mind now.

2) What is the one item I can do today to accomplish number one on my list?  Do it and nothing else until an action is taken on number one that moves me closer to my objective. Don’t move to number two until one is complete.

3) Anything not moving me towards number one objective is a distraction and avoid it at all costs.  Be proactive.  Take action now.

4) Repeat number one again.

Sounds simple?  It may be if you take responsibility for this action.  If your like most people in this world you will find a lot of excuses for not making it happen and then somehow justify it with logic.

Your yesterdays to do not equal your today or your tomorrow.  “Past performance does not guarantee future results.”

How can I help you achieve your objectives with laser like focus in this new year? 

To your success,

Trent Fortner