A brief history of your future.
Color Commentary for Tuesday, October 24, 2017
By E. R. Haas
"The best way to predict the future is to create it."~ Peter F. Drucker
All last week we focused on the Power of Positive Expectations.
If you remember only one thing, remember this: Goals don't achieve themselves.
To achieve your greatest aspirations, you must draw on that inner-reserve of power that comes from nurturing a positive self-image and can-do attitude—and dead-stop all that negative chatter that is going on between you and your future.
Do this, and you will create the future of your dreams.
Your Future Is Waiting...
This week we are going to help you write your Future by looking into a Time Machine of sorts... two simple sheets of paper that will crystallize your GOALS into tangible, actionable PLANS.
These two forms will let you SEE all of 2016 and beyond at a glance. They are essential planning tools that I use constantly throughout the year. They give me bearing and direction... at EVERY point in time. They help me remain focused on the BIG picture—with an instant reference to both my LONG TERM view of life, as well as the SHORT TERM, up close and personal view I get by looking at the future in daily chunks.
NOTE: To use these forms, you must first SAVE them to your hard drive. Click on the image and SAVE TARGET / LINK to disk. You may then open and print these files once they are on your PC -- not the net.
(If you do not follow these simple instructions, you will get one of several error messages such as "file is corrupted... unable to print... file not found... etc.)
Your 15 Year Time Horizon...
Something to think about. Today is October 24, 2017.
There are just 60 "Working" days or so left this year.
My question to you is this: Have you reached your aspirations for the year?
If so, fabulous!
If not, why not?
Fail to Plan... Plan to Fail.
Put simply, a goal without a plan is merely a WISH without a HOPE.
There is no way you can accomplish something if you don't know how to proceed. Written plans are the essential instructions for how to reach a goal.
A plan is simply a detailed map outlining the steps to accomplish your goal as quickly and easily as possible.
At a minimum, it includes a complete list of objectives and resource requirements -- all organized in correct CHRONOLOGICAL order.
Thus, the need for BOTH a short-term Time Line... and a long-term Time Horizon.
"Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success."~ Stephen A. Brennan
Factor 5A's CONTRIBUTION to your performance...
A high commitment to this Factor of your performance suggests you have both a goal and a plan. You're inspired enough to have goals -- and methodical enough to develop written plans. With a detailed plan in hand, you're already halfway there. You've overcome the fear and uncertainty of not knowing what to do next, and have a clear set of directives with an excellent chance of success.
With a detailed written plan in hand, you proceed confidently toward each of your major goals.
Factor 5A's COST to your success...
A lack of commitment to this Factor of your performance suggests you are someone whose goals often remain nothing but illusive wishes.
You rarely make the progress you'd like. It may not be from lack of effort. You are working hard but too much time is spent on activities that prove to be of little benefit. Lacking specific instructions, you have neither a clear direction for what to do next, nor any way to chart your progress. Sure, some goals are being achieved by trial and error -- but many aren't -- and more are taking far longer to achieve than they should.
The Bottom Line...
We are nearing the end of 2016. Next year will turn out exactly like this year. This may, or may not, be a good thing.
As Peter Drucker said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it." The best way to create your future is to confront it.
To get started, simply print off your 2018 Time Line and write down what you would like to see happen next year... one month at a time. This will start your creative juices flowing.
After all, getting "juiced" about your future is the first step towards living it. -- E.R. Haas, CEO
If you have any questions you would like us to answer personally, just send us an email! Click Here Answers@ThinkTQ.com...
The only dumb question is the one that's important to you... and you didn't ask!
Click Here to Post Your Comments...
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Running Member Comments...
Alan W.
Dallas, TX
er
Mini goals are really milestones that lead to the major goal. For example, travel Europe by rail starting 6/1/2009 for 6 weeks will have many mini goals: Tickets in hand and paid for 4/1/09... passport current 12/31/08... $5 grand in cash and all credit cards paid off by 5/1/09... ideal weight by 8/24/2008 (lose 40 pounds)... etc.
Planning is thinking ahead in writing!
The better you become at planning, the faster you will see your dreams come true!
er
While getting ready to head out the door this morning, I caught this question.
Not exactly sure of the meaning but as I very *quickly* thought it about, I thought about the "why" of where I am right now.
My quick reflections were: "I am where I am right now (which I view as extrememly positive) because, first of all the over-riding grace of God in my life."
Expanding that a bit I see an intersection of...
1. Conistent choices to try to move in the right direction in view of our values as a family.
2. Meeting just the right people at key points in our history.
3. On-going skill development in relationship which occurred mainly by trying to "stay in the game" so-to-speak of serving the Lord.
4. Trying to maintain a positive attitude through set backs.
5. The ever-present love, support, encouragement and prayers of my wife.
6. And, as mentioned, God's over-riding grace.
Not sure that's where the question was headed, but that's what I thought.
For me those were excellent beginning of the day meditations during the process of heading out to teach class this morning.
These will become part of my personal journal!
Enjoy the day,
Lee
Thanks... glad you enjoyed reading my brief comment.
I'm very grateful as a Vet that I returned Stateside healthy after my tour in Nam. Very, very fortunate person I am.
Lee
Got back in '68 after tet - hell of a fix -
congrats and goodluck in the future-
My best - John R
Don
Corexcel
If we can now see our past and think I should have done like this so that the result would have been different, the same applies to our future. The Future will become your past and hence all of us have the ability to take the right action NOW to change the way our PAST looks like. Its only the RIGHT ACTION that can make it happen.
For people who have completed Landmark Forum course, I believe they know of this.
Regards
SPS Chauhan
BUT I want to make sure I am doing the right thing for me
at this time in my life - Rehabilitation ?
Political etc etc etc ect Politics is my problem right now - and i want to do the right thing - thanks for the help---
looks like i need it - best John R
Maybe it is about, as Landmark Education states,integrity, relationships, putting a plan in place to keep our stated futures present for us and sharing with other people what it is that we are up to in a way that they are on board with it, move by it, engaged it in.
Or maybe it's about love versus fear, as in The Course in Miracles, which claims that we act either from a place of love or fear. So many of the world's ills are because individuals/groups/nations act out of fear (aka hatred, jealousy, prejudice, scarcity) rather than acknowledging the sameness of all as human beings and loving each other as we love ourselves.
Or maybe it is as Don Miguel Riz states in The Mastery of Love, that we are whole, complete, wise human beings capable of unconditional love born into a world of walking wounded and so we are taught to be/socialized as wounded too and forget how to love not only others but ourselves as well.
Or maybe it is that modern man creates/lives in a world where scarcity is the belief and so creates that for himself/herself over and over (Law of Attraction)rather than understanding that the natural state of the world is abundance and that there is enough for everyone.
How would our lives, individually and collectively, be different, if everyone operated from any one of those places?! John, it is only all about money if you say it is. You get to choose. Choose wisely. This is the only life that you have (as TQ reminds us). What do you want it to be about? ;-)
May your future be all that you say it will be, Lisa
Bob
Bob
Bob
I must start planning.
i must get organized
yes.
Planning, and scheduling more specific blocks along with leveraging the clinic schedule with health plans.
sure i can see the relationship between my current status to what i had done before. i believe my past is the base for today.
sure i can see the relationship between my current status to what i had done before. i believe my past is the base for today.
E.R. I have been a T.Q. member since 2005 and in the past year really started working hard on my TQ. I cannot believe the rush of emotions I am feeling and the positive results from the new direction implemented. I have a long way to go, but the switch is finally in the on position and I will update as progress is made. NOTE: I am saving money for a trip to attend one of the intensive training seminars.
Joe Lembke
Pass the word. ThinkTQ.com is the single most important site for personal and professional success in the world.
And it's simple as 1-2-3:
1. Test your TQ...
2. Read The Power of TQ: Find out exactly what's holding you back from real success.
3. Improve your TQ 20 points: Commit to amplifying your strengths and eliminating your weaknesses.
Do your Daily lessons in Excellence and you will ultimately find enduring success. Don't and you will fall further behind in the global battle for superior results.
er
How do I set time specific, tangible, targeted goals when my future (my caretaker role) is so uncertain? My role as caretaker is ever changing, but clear and definable. But my career goals are undefined, nebulous and vague.
If circumstances were different I would move to CO or AZ. Work diligently for 18 years, then adjunct teach, and enjoy "semi-retirement".
I complete the high ROI stuff first, renew my Energy level, then go into the creative submission mode.
I schedule a time for creativity.
Thus, I am very creative, and stay well ahead of my competition who is killing themselves to death!
er
Am hard at work right now to make it 10/10.
er
How often -- over the course of the last several years -- have you set limits for yourself that really constrained your success?
My logic says none, but my results are far from expectations.
I am still in the top 5% by all standards, but to finish strong, I do need to aim higher and produce better.
er
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