Bring more peace to your life and your work for the new year

Have you been asked yet?

If they haven’t already, you know someone’s going to ask you, “What’s your New Year’s resolution this year?”

A lot of folks roll their eyes because they know that, come mid-February, we’ve forgotten what we’d even resolved to do.

Why the skepticism? Because changing is hard work.

Does deciding make change happen?

Unfortunately, sometimes merely deciding isn’t enough.

A client of mine recently resolved to give up smoking (I’m so proud). But because nicotine is an addictive drug, she’s had to do a lot more than just decide. Can you imagine?! It’s a daily, sometimes minute-by-minute commitment to choose one thing over another.

She’s reaching out for support, has a clear goal, and a specific plan. Yup, it helps a lot when you have a plan.

A Resolution Revolution

The problem with a resolution is that it’s just short of a wish. It can be a positive, healthy idea (losing 10 pounds, stopping nagging, writing more letters, etc.) – but often lacks a coherent game plan.

I’ve been proudly following my Patriots winning season this year (say what you will about recorded calls and a historic “fumble”). They have a huge goal: another Super Bowl.

And they plan – one step at a time – to get to their destination.

You can get there.

Instead of creating a resolution your forget later – or rejecting the whole resolution idea entirely – why not set yourself up for success?

There’s a camp of folks that say that a goal should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-specific. When a goal has all 5 of these attributes, it’s easier to understand where you have to go – and recognize when you’ve arrived.

But you still need one more thing…

The missing link

The plan of action.

Let’s say you resolve to increase your income for 2008. Your SMART goal could be something like: “After expenses, I want to make $2,500 monthly (or more) for 10 out of 12 months in 2008.” Sounds great! Yay, you!

Your plan of action will then list out the details of how this will happen. Will you cut down on some expenses? Will you complete the product you’ve been working on? Will you offer a class or promote your services in a new way?

Writing down the steps that will get you from where you are today to your destination is the best way to actualize your resolution.

Things to try

1. Write your plan down and post it somewhere visible

I love dry erase or wipe-off markets for this. Last year I bought wrapping paper on clearance and used the blank side to create a wall chart for my goals. You could use a bulletin board or clipboard if space is more limited. Making your plan interactive and visually appealing helps keep it fresh.

2. Set up a reminder system to help you stay accountable

If your enthusiasm tends to wane after time, use Outlook or other organizing software to schedule time to work on the steps as well as give you reminders to help you stay on track. You might also consider including a trusted business friend to be an “accountability buddy” – they may want the same from you!

3. Keep track of your progress

Make appointments in your calendar to check in regularly about where you are along your path. If it’s a resolution for the year, for example, checking in monthly might be good. You might like to do this more frequently when you start and less so once you’re moving.

A final thought:

The Wise and Wonderful “They” say that it takes 3-4 weeks to form a new, healthy habit. So give yourself time to dream, write up your plan, and then get moving!

Care to comment?

Before I knew I had ADD, I used to think I was broken. I thought I was defective for being so sloppy and slothful. Isn’t that horrible? It’s what I really believed.

I really thought I was broken.

I would forget an appointment, for example. When I discovered the error, all h-e-double-toothpicks would break loose inside my brain. I’d spew all kinds of insults and admonishments at myself.

After that internal tongue lashing, I’d resolve, once and for all, to change. To myself and others. To always show up reliably, no matter what. To be neat, once and for all.

If you want to make the gods laugh, tell them your plans.

You can guess what would happen next. Despite my best efforts, things would fall apart again, and the whole cycle would repeat. What a struggle.

Some of my clients, bless them, are facing years of chronic disorganization and they honestly believe that they are broken. They’ve tried to get organized and feel they’ve failed. Many times they’ve resolved, once and for all, to “get it together” but have not been able to implement organizing ideas consistently or with much success.

Until they start working with me, some of my clients don’t believe it’s even possible to be effective in business because their space is so out of control. How sad!

Rewriting the story

Chances are good that you want to contribute something positive to the world through your work. You believe that your gifts are valuable – and that healing and harmony come about when they are shared.

This is true.

And if you feel overwhelmed in your workspace or in your role as a business owner, consider this: these strong feelings and frustrations are not validation of your failure. They’re a call to pay closer attention. They’re your inner guidance system telling you that change is imminent.

Use discomfort to your advantage

The good news about negative feelings like embarrassment and frustration is that, eventually, they cause you to act.

That’s where the urge to “do it right once and for all” comes from. But it’s important to pause so that you can point that energy in the most effective direction.

I firmly believe that nothing is “once and for all,” there are only steps in the right direction.

For example…

My clothes live in my office closet, and it’s been a tenuous peace.

You can bet I’ve had my share of those “once and for all” conversations about the condition of the closet and the laundry hamper next to it.

Logistically, there’s no where else for the clothes to live. After many resolutions to never be messy again, I’ve deliberately begun to make small steps toward my vision of an office that supports my business completely.

My energy and attention are focused on where I want to go, not on what I’m doing “wrong.”

Action in the “right” direction

When I’d had enough of the losing battle with my clothes, I took action. I found the hamper lid – so now I’m not distracted by my laundry. I purchased hangers for my pants that are fun to use – so I’m more motivated to hang them up.

Does it work all the time? No.

But, the fundamental question is this: is it closer to my vision? Yes. Can I concentrate on my business better as a result of these adjustments? Yes. Is it more effective than chastising myself? Yes.

Will it take awareness on my part to work more effectively? Absolutely.

What’s important is that you make progress, one step at a time – in service to yourself, your business, and ultimately your clients.

Things to try

1. Take the long view

Imagine a day in your future where your office and its systems completely supported your business. What would it look like?

Create a picture in your mind that is compelling and invigorating. Go to the next step when you’ve completed this one.

2. Look at the short view (right now)

If you’ve been tolerating an intolerable space for a while, take a deep breath and look courageously around you. See at the reality of the place you work.

If your struggles have more to do with procrastination or incomplete work, stop for a moment to take stock of what is actually going on. What is really happening?

3. Draw a line between them

Hold the vision of where you want to go in your mind and beside it, the reality of where you are.

When you do this, the path to get there becomes clear. Write down what steps you want to take – and make them small, incremental steps so that you can notice and get rewarded by the changes as you go.

Care to comment?

Two weeks ago, I spent 5 days with business consultants Mark Silver and Holly Glaser – along with 20 other business owners – at a wooded retreat center at the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. The topic? Creating momentum in your business.

It was fabulous.

I realized over the week that one of the most important sources of entrepreneurial momentum is knowing what your business stands for and why it exists.

Hitting home

If you’ve subscribed to my newsletter for a while, you know that I care deeply about my clients and the success of their business.

Yet, as I’ve encouraged people to get their offices ship-shape, something kept happening. They’d tell me about their problem areas and then we’d write an action plan. But over time, some clients would lose enthusiasm for clearing out the clutter or setting up new systems. Sometimes they saw this work as “time away” from the business and their clients. They’d lose steam.

Not surprisingly, that wasn’t my intention.

A new approach

At Mark’s retreat, I discovered the missing ingredient that helps people get motivated and stay engaged in the process of creating an effective, inspiring home office.

Are you dying to find out that secret ingredient?

It’s passion.

Beginning with the end in mind

I believe that you have a gift. When your workspace isn’t working, it blocks the flow of your gift to the world. It can actually prevent your unique offerings from getting to the people who need them most.

If you’ve been focusing on trying to “fix” your office’s problems (piles or clutter or whatever), it’s okay to stop.

(That means don’t get organized.)

You don’t have to get organized just for the sake of organizing. Don’t force yourself to live up to an unrealistic, uninspiring standard. That’s a dead end that will just deplete you and your business.

Instead…

A favorite author of mine, Robert Fritz, says that you can’t help but create the results you want if you begin with the end in mind.

By starting with a big, juicy vision of how your work can change the world, it will allow you to see with great clarity the very things your office needs to support your work.

Then, you can take it down to the practical level of removing clutter or setting up filing… but the difference is that you’re making changes that align with your vision.

That’s a whole different ball game from just “getting organized”, don’t you think?

Why it matters

It all comes down to this: the world needs your gifts. It needs them more than you can know.

In order to bring your gifts to those who need them, your business needs support – and your office is a fabulous place to start.

Things to try

1. Notice if you guilt/beat yourself up about your clutter/piles/office

If you do, try stopping. Really. I’m extending to you gentle permission to accept your workspace exactly as it is. Take a deep breath. It’s okay. It’s perfect.

See your space for what it is: precious, holy ground that can deeply nurture your business.

2. Connect with your passion

Do you remember the day you got the idea to start your business? Reflect for a moment on what kind of impact you want your business to have in the world?

3. Make tracks

As you keep this global impact in your heart, ask yourself if there’s something you can do in your workspace that would help spread your message to the world more effectively. Is it more regular connections with your contacts? A clearer billing system? An easier way to find the information you need?

What does your business vision need to provide it with complete support? There are no “right” answers, just trust whatever comes up – and then make a note of it.

Connecting your vision with this practical step will make it easier to complete and more fulfilling when it’s done.

Care to comment?