Clear on Top

Believe it or not it’s been a month since I threw down the 6 Week Challenge.  How are you doing with your professional and career goals?  Did you develop a plan for yourself, or are you one of those people that said I’ll start it tomorrow?  … Tomorrow was 4 weeks ago.  Are you happy with your progress?  Are you setting the example and excelling past your peers?  Just think of what you can accomplish if you develop a plan and stick to it.  Or not!

I’ve asked people in the past to tell me about their “Plan”.  Unfortunately, many of our schools and parents don’t really teach people how to develop a sound plan.  For example, if your goal is to lose weight, a “Plan” is not saying “I’m going to eat better and exercise”.   A good plan must be focused and clearly defined.  It must start with evaluating 1) where you are today, 2) what your desired result is going to be, and 3) how you’re going to get there.  The goal is not to do it overnight, but to do it right.

The same train of thought can be used when developing a plan for just about anything; saving money for retirement, saving for college, learning a new skill, getting better at a sport (except golf – this is still a mystery to me), and even enhancing your career.

So, what are you doing to help your career? Do you take time to read industry news every day?  Do you study to increase your knowledge?  What are you doing to improve your writing skills?  What are you doing to reduce the number of errors in your work?  Are you getting out and meeting other people and centers of influence that can help with your professional goals?  Have you thought about taking classes to get your professional designations?  What are you doing to set yourself apart from your peers?  Do you volunteer for extra projects?  Do you go above and beyond the minimum standards or just do the minimum required?

For those of you who have already started, congratulations!  I’m proud of you for not putting it off.  Once you’re done, set another goal (and develop a real plan).  For those of you that haven’t started yet or have not put much effort into it, it’s not too late.  Everyday is a new day.  Don’t wait until tomorrow … no excuses; get started today. You’ll be glad you did.

Good luck and let me know how you’re doing!