I asked a simple question...
I was teaching a social media workshop last week at We Work and I asked the room of entrepreneurs and business owners, "How many of you have a plan for 2013?" No one raised his hand.
I realize that the volatile (and often depressing) economy and the recent hurricane have left many of us feeling insecure and out of control. We often live from minute to minute (or second to second), reacting to opportunities and responding quickly to customer feedback -- posts, tweets, comments, and shares. We often let our competition, our clients, our nay-sayers, and even our loved ones get inside our heads and slow us down or throw us off course. But what ever happened to the concept of setting goals?
Has planning become totally obsolete?
I'm not thinking of the endless PowerPoints and projections of the past; strategic blah-blah-blah that got put into a binder and then filed neatly on a shelf. But I still believe that "objective" is not a dirty word. Of course, high winds, unexpected and unpleasant surprises, and other outside forces will knock us on our asses throughout the year. But goals can give us focus, direction, and a healthy dose of hope.
My 2013 plan is comprised of about 10 bullets. I typed the words "I WILL..." on the top of a blank page and committed to myself that I would accomplish those things next year. Some are related to business...some are fundamental habit changes...other relate to the quality of my life outside of work. And then I created a simple spreadsheet of financial goals. They sit on my desktop. And I "accessorized" them with some motivational quotes on Pinterest and started a zippy playlist on Spotify, to inspire myself with tunes that always put me in a good mood. I make daily to-do lists (usually no more than five items) and get stuff done.
As important as THE PLAN is the inner circle of people (our colleagues, friends, and advisors) that inspire and teach us and keep us on track. (I'll be blogging more about this on my Facebook page before year's end.)
Am I overly compulsive? Optimistic? Delusional? Or just an old fashioned planner? Ask me again on December 31st, 2013.
Inspirational business tunes and quotes