Administrative Sparkle Blog

In goal setting, the method is to make a list of what it is you want. I’ve done this and I have lots of lists. But in order to achieve your goals, you need to break them down, set tasks, research, create a plan that gets you from Point A (where you are now) to Point B (where you want to be).

I am now in my third year returning to California where my family lives. My first year focus was getting work and then, shortly after that, finding a place of my own after helping my mom through surgery. Those were goals that weren’t written down, but came from necessity. Goals that a person takes immediate action on at the moment because it at level-urgency.

My second year consisted of getting settled into the new job, settling into my new place, and setting up my website and blog. Three things that I knew I wanted to create and design, but the individual tasks weren’t necessarily written down. Needless to say, I designed my life on the fly last year. I’m thrilled with the results, pursuing the things I wanted, but it would be interesting to know what would have been different if I had made a plan or mapped it out as a goal.

So this year, with things more settled and my mind space uncluttered with urgencies, and with the beginning of a whole new decade, this is a great time to map out exactly what I would like to achieve and see how it plays out.

Mindmap Tools

Mindmapping is a great technique to use. It’s kind of like throwing spaghetti on the wall to see if it sticks (an old technique that tells you if your spaghetti is done if you have never heard of it). There are several tools you can use that can help you mindmap.

1. Drawing it out on a piece of paper.
2. Visio by Microsoft is a great software.
3. Mindjet MindManager 8 (this is the software I use).

What I love about the software MindManager 8 by Mindjet is that it incorporates your already existing software to help you achieve your goal.

1. You can add start and end dates to a Task that will populate into your Outlook.
2. You can add an Appointment that will populate into your Outlook.
3. You can add a Note that will populate into your Outlook.
4. You can add a Contact that will populate into your Outlook
5. You can assign “markers” to indicate each goal and task priority.
6. You can give pictures to your goals.
7. You can assign people and resources to each task.
8. You can add goal and task details and information in its individual notes.
9. You can add website hyperlinks to your tasks.
10. You can attach documents.
11. You can connect databases or incorporate specific Excel ranges.
12. You can view as a MindMap or you can view it in outline form.
13. You can also track it in Microsoft Project.
14. You can send it as a Presentation, Word document, PDF.

I’ve already started my Goals Mindmap and it will take some time to break everything down and utilize the various components that make it actionable. Set dates, the people I need to talk to, information that is already available on the internet to let me know what I need to do. Really this is the easy part.

Action

Ultimately, it is about taking action. Once you see it on paper, I believe it makes it real and attainable. You have done your due diligence in getting all the information you need to make it happen. It’s creating your own personal step-by-step process. So, wondering what I could achieve with a detailed plan, it will be interesting to see what I can achieve in one year.

And, by default, it appears that me posting this, I am extending my accountability to all of you. I really hope you will do the same because you deserve it for you. You deserve and are entitled to all the successes you dream. Map your path and then go after it.

If you feel you’re doing it alone, I hope you will share here with me. I hope our successes inspire each other and you will be surprised to find you have a lot of other people out there who want to cheer you on too.

I extend my sincerest wish for you to have your most amazing year ever in 2010 and with great love,
-Layne

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