I’m an infrequent cotributor to these forums but I’m struck by the contributions from Just Meredith and Sisterly.

I don’t know about reading Denis Waitely or Jack Canfield many times but I read JustMeredith’s post three times.

I’m an Englinshman and I favour the Texan School of Self Help, namely Dr Phil (the early years) and Joel Osteen.

And it’s true that as you get control of one area of your llife others seem to go AWOL.

So, how are you two ladies doin?  Sisterly, you should be on day 35/100 now how are things?

And how are you Meredith?

Is there anything either of you would like to ask from those of us out here?

I am still going - The winter Month’s are Tough for me - The weather really Saddeds me - I find it a real Struggle… Still movin some days not as much as I should…

Day by Day

My former general manager was a great reader of business books, and a great fan of Stephen Covey. We had semi-annual one-day retreats for planning and refreshing, and some of the team didn’t care for those, but I generally got a nugget or two out of it.

One was very simple, and I’m not sure where she got the idea. It was simply to take a piece of paper and write at the top of it:

“Dear Diary,

Today was the PERFECT day...” And then make up a day in which wonderful things happened, and importantly, bad things didn’t happen.  We did this with an eye towards a work day. It was interesting to hear how many days were ‘made’ by there being no traffic, getting an early start, finding a parking space, that sort of thing.

Mine reflected the things I was missing on the job: constructive feedback (I feel like I work in a vacuum sometimes) and collaboration. And then at 3pm the band They Might Be Giants stopped by and played “Birdhouse in Your Soul” which always cheers me up. (I put that song on my work computer and played it every morning for a while.)

I got so much out of that I once did an exercise like this: what if I could create any job WITHIN my current company? What would it entail? Who would benefit? I seem to have redesigned a job for myself as a trainer/consultant, specializing in upgrading everyone’s basic computer skills, creating efficiency by eliminating duplicated work, and so forth. Actually, that’s already a smidge of what I do. What I got out of that was that working one-on-one with people, rather than being holed up most of the time with data, was much more rewarding for me.  Helped me start thinking of options outside the company too, though I’m not quite clear yet on what that might be.

I challenge everyone who reads this to do the “perfect day” exercise. Then share it with a loved one, friend, or colleague!

Peace and joy,

Ann

What a lovely posts Dermot, Beth and Ann
Yes, it would be about day 35 since I started to face my challenges with more vigour.  I am a compulsive “self help” groupie so the work of the most esteemed Steven Covey is familiar to me.  In fact I began this week writing the 7 habits down.  I am listening, being proactive and getting my priorities straight.  My brother’s wounds are almost fully healed.  Thats one big goal for 2008 - DONE!

These first 100 days are no doubt preparatory.  When the focus comes back to fitness..I’ll be ready.  Avoidance and care demands have got me into a mess that I’m digging out of slowly.  Its the AWOL areas like the back garden. 

And its been hot.  Nothing puts me off exercise better......Its A Covey principle to be like those who"take the weather with them”.  Here in Australia summer gets me down, I adore winter but its mild of course.  Is it a January feeling Beth???? I feel for you in January.....March must seem far off.  I went to UK in Dec/Jan 2004/5 and tried outdoor runs mmmm running on icey grass and pavement was a novel experience for me and those who watched me.  I gather its not typically done, Seasonal Affective Disorder seems to be a problem for many.  Global warming may make the winters milder but it won’t bring more hours of sunlight.  Dark at 4.30 pm is a downer, makes days seem to end quickly. 
I adore itunes and have bought the “birdhouse in your soul” -i’ll listen while I walk today.
I feel fitter for just getting up more and doing more activity, I’m eating sensibly too so I have achieved some stability through this little crisis so thats good too.  My perfect day- nobody dies and nothing significant breaks. 
I’m feeling great and LOVE this site, we’re all in this together....Jane

I love the writing about the “Perfect Day” as part of goal setting.  I’ve been fortunate in having the opportunity to redefine my job description without changing jobs several times.  It sure beats having to go out, start over with a new company and discover that nothing really changed.  I did that once.  The names were different, but everything else was basically the same.  It’s so much better to create your own life within the circumstances that exist, whenever possible.  It doesn’t always work out, but it’s worth a try. 

Dermot, Beth, Ann and Jane, you might consider starting threads in the Journal of your journey thread.  I’ve found it very helpful to do a brain dump when things are going not so well, or going well.  We are all together here and it’s great to have such a supportive community.

I think you are right and I was a bit off topic earlier, goal setting is sooo central to success and it is the reason I’m not sticking in as well as I could.  I need to dump in a journal, great idea,
Jane

After trying many different methods of goal setting of various complexity and to various measures of success, this is what I’ve found to work for me.

Write down the big goal that is truly important to you.  Come up with some immediate next step actions.  Commit to taking that step, then another, then another.  Sit down either once a week, or once a month, and quickly jot down your goals, what you accomplished and how much effort you put towards it and assess next steps for the coming week or month. 

Great ways to ensure that a goal sticks would be to let other people know about what you’ll be doing to achieve it.  Don’t over complicate it, and make sure you don’t spend more time strategizing than actually working towards it (something for which I can often be guilty of).  Know that if it seems hard, 90% of the difficulty is probably assumption derived from fear and when you actually act on it, it will likely be easier than you thought.  Also keep in mind that it becomes a snowball effect.  One successful step makes it easier to take another, and so on.  Also, ensure that the goal you’re going after is truly, deeply, important.  This is what drives you when the easier path tempts you.

Good luck with your goal setting.  It’s a very worthwhile endeavor, and it’s amazing to see how cool life can get when you set and experience the attainment of exciting goals!

Austin

Hello MTM comerades
about goal setting I do something quite silly but it really works for me: I use images, pictures, nice paper and stickers. I know it’s quite childish! lol But trully as humans we are so influenced by presentatation and what we see. A dirty chaotic draft piece of paper of your goals usually ends up somewhere in your drawer. But a cute, sharp and clean paper/card/post-it with a funny face or “a happy picture” and bold letters is perfect to put on your fridge with a magnet!!! You won’t forget about that
That’s me.. lol

Oh and as for books: my absolute two favorites are Deepack Chopra’s “Seven Spiritual Laws of Success” and John C. Maxwell’s “Failing forward”, more ‘businessy.

Voila!

Have all a beautiful day!

r i t a

Hi Rita,

Nothing wrong with pictures!  I like the idea of “one picture per card” to make them stand out.  Very cool!

Cheers,
Julie