Prioritize in 2005

Do you get overwhelmed? Are you running on the cheap fuel of adrenaline? Do you get depressed because you make promises to yourself and others that you cannot keep because you run out of time? If so, and you would like to change your sense of defeat into a sense of control this coming year, read on.

There is a program taught in most coaching circles called "The Personal Foundation Program". This program helps us reconstruct the underpinning of our lives by strengthening ourselves in a variety of ways and learning how to accomplish more with less effort. One of the first things the program recommends is choosing a personal theme for each year. I've been doing this every year since I entered the coaching community. My theme for this year is "Prioritize in 2005" and here's why: I have a tendency to procrastinate whenever I am feeling overwhelmed by a task. I tell myself that I will tackle it some other time when I am feeling more courageous. The irony of this of course is that the act of procrastinating increases my sense of being overwhelmed and further erodes my courage to roll up my sleeves and just go for it. As I began looking for ways to mitigate this reflexive habit, I found that if I took the time to plan my day and prioritize my actions, I ended up being much more successful and productive. You see, most of us are (as one of my coach friends describes himself) "easily distracted by shiny objects!" It's very easy to get sidetracked from our goals. Choosing a theme helps up cut down on distraction time. It's a way to keep the end in mind as described so clearly by Stephen Covey in his bestseller "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People".

The same person who I said is "easily distracted by shiny objects" chose, "Market More in 2004" for his theme last year. Since then, his business has grown so much that he's decided it's time to raise his prices!

One of my clients chose the phrase, "Fully Alive in 2005!" I like that one, too. She wants a reminder to stay engaged in LIFE!

Themes are a tool to help us FOCUS. It's a friendly nudge that keeps us on the track of positive change.

Whatever you choose, your theme is like a beacon when it comes to helping you achieve your ultimate objective(s). It summarizes that something you want to move toward in your life. Your theme can help get you out of your comfort zone and into the territory you want to go. Having a theme can also help in the decision making process because saying "no" to the things that don't fit into your theme for the year becomes easier. There are so many things that can derail us from the things we want for ourselves, but having a theme can help keep us on course.

When we figure out what our goal for the year is, selecting an appropriate theme is just a step away. When we have our own purpose, we are less likely to get caught up in other people's chaos or engage in "rescuing" behavior. Rescuing others from what amounts to their lack of planning is a path that can lead to resentment. And don't you have better things to do?