New year, new resolutions, Dear Readers, what are you doing with your lives? The beginning of January was unexpectedly shocking for the American people. Now that we are not going to war with Iran, is it business as usual? Is your focus where you need it to be, Dear Readers: to set and demolish your goals? Are you already wondering how to be more productive while working more than 40 hours every week? Keep reading to find out how to map out your monthlies to crush your goals and live a more meaningful life.
Welcome back to the premier hub for branding inspiration! In case this is your first time visiting, this blog is the brainchild of JMStrategy LLC (JMS), a boutique consulting firm that devises tailor-made plans of action to strengthen your professional brand. Now, let’s see how a strategic facelift of your monthly routine will make 2020 your most productive year yet!
This blog believes that you and only you, Dear Readers, can make your dreams come true. Of course, there will be obstacles to overcome. Nothing is worth in this life unless you fight for it. To that end, Dear Readers, this blog has put together a series to show how you can organize your weeks and have a life of purpose outside of work.
Today, this blog is answering your question: is there a bullet-proof method to plan monthlies to achieve peace of mind, fulfillment, and success? Absolutely! You will need to split your time evenly between foundational, building, and finishing blocks as discussed in the back to school issue rather than letting the daily minutia of life suck out all the willpower you have as we begin this new year! Here are three steps to help you do just that, Dear Readers!
STEP ONE: STOP COMPARTMENTALIZING YOUR LIFE
OK Dear Readers, this blog wants to remind you that you are sooooooo much more than your job. You will never feel fulfilled if you treat yourself as a one-dimensional being! So why do you consistently neglect the other aspects of your life that make up your individuality?
The more you cultivate all other aspects of your lives, Dear Readers, the more you will feel fulfilled regardless of what’s going on at work. Consequently, this blog invites you to shift your perspective and flex a new muscle: to teach yourself to see your life as a whole rather than in parts.
Since there are many facets to one’s life in addition to one’s profession, the definition of success must, therefore, incorporate them all. In other words, having a meaningful life will require investing in additional categories (e.g., personal development, relationships, financial stability, to name a few) depending on your priorities and dreams besides work. So, Dear Readers, please take the time to enumerate all the goals that matter to you right this minute before moving to the next step.
STEP TWO: WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN
Dear Readers, the human mind is not meant to hold everything. Doesn’t it seem that life gets more bruising, work gets more tiring, social media becomes more oppressive, and mainstream media is more than ever depressing nowadays? How can you keep an eye on your goals, let alone make real progress toward realizing them amidst such distractions? It is simply impossible!
Therefore, this blog insists that you start writing down the answers to all the questions swirling in your heads, Dear Readers. What are your dreams? What categories do you value more now versus later? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What went well in 2019? What needs work in 2020? What have been your greatest lessons so far? How do you plan to apply them over the next decade? What small wins can you celebrate? What lesson do you get out of past mistakes?
You have to write it all down. Absolutely. Everything, Dear Readers! So that every time you review your actions, you will be able to appreciate the journey traveled so far and squash any lingering doubt polluting your mind. If this doesn’t give you the courage and inspiration to keep moving forward, nothing will!
STEP THREE: MAKE YOUR MONTHLIES THE ROADMAP TO YOUR GOALS
Now that you know your priorities outside of work and wrote everything that has been swirling in your mind but never dared to say out loud, the time has come to have the courage to go after the life you want. Grab a planner and write down the 12 monthly thresholds you believe you need to hit to reach your goals by the end of the year.
Concretely speaking, you want to hit foundational, building, and finishing targets every month to maintain a sense of purpose outside of work. The JMS team believes in stacking habits, meaning attaching a new one to something you are already doing.
For example, if your goal is to be more proficient in a language, you want to bind it to a practice you have already mastered or find enjoyable. Thus, Dear Readers, you could pair your cup of coffee with reading one chapter or listening to it on audible on three designated days during your morning commute. Or, you could add a lengthier reading session at your favorite coffee shop after Saturday workouts before the day pulls you into a million and one directions.
Either way, as you hit this monthly target consistently for an entire year straight, you will become noticeably more comfortable communicating in the new language! That, Dear Readers, is how you have a more purposeful, meaningful, and productive life while holding down a full-time job.
There you have it, Dear Readers! What do you think? Do you have a more effective way to manage any anxiety around crushing your goals? How do you make sure that you are making real progress towards your dreams? Let us know below in a comment or by email at jms@branding24seven.com or by mail at:
JMStrategy LLC
21 S. 11th Street, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
This blog hopes that today’s publication has lit a fire within you, Dear Readers! Do not be scared of your dreams. More importantly, have the courage to chase them!
Come back weekly for more inspiration!
Leave a Reply