ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
It's been a few weeks since you started your New Year's resolution, how are you doing? If you're like me, you've had your ups and downs. Don't be discouraged, you might be surprised, but what you think, and how you think about it, are key factors for your success in achieving your New Years resolution and just about anything else you want to accomplish in life.
First, write down your prioritized goals. Think about what author John Maxwell calls your "daily discipline" in working toward these goals. Writing down goals and prioritizing them is a great start, but without creating a daily plan to work toward them, the probability for success is low.
Next spend some of your thinking time, planning how you are going to work on your goals on a daily basis. Once you have a plan you can pencil time in on your schedule to work toward the goals. As the days go by, you can use some of your thinking time to evaluate the execution of your plan.
Evaluation of progress and making changes are critical to achieving the results you want. Remember, you're not failing if you are still trying, you are only figuring out what does not work and getting closer to finding the solution. This process can work for your personal and professional goals. I challenge you to try it.
Second, in your thinking time consider your career goals and how you are working to achieve them, whether it's a promotion, recognition or higher pay. Think about the standards you set for your performance. Our core values of integrity, service and excellence define a minimum performance standard. Think about what our core values mean to you and set your personal standards higher than anyone else would set them for you. Perform at least one level above where you currently sit. Think about what it takes to perform at the next level, the questions you would ask; the questions your boss would ask and what would be expected from you. Write down your thoughts and act on them by providing suggestions and performing at the next level before the boss asks. If you continue to work in this manner, eventually you will get the rewards you seek.
Finally, through all of this thinking and acting you must remember the key ingredient and that is balance. You absolutely must think about your priorities in life and keep your schedule organized in a way that prevents you from allowing lower priority goals to spoil higher priority goals or relationships in your life. Think about what matters the most to you and invest your time in those things. When it comes down to it, time is your most valuable resource.
I encourage you to take time everyday to think about what is important to you and focus your efforts on those things ... you may be surprised about how your life will change!