Making a Project out of it

Walking through life without a plan is one way to go about it, but I don’t think it is the best way. With so many inputs and ideas bombarding our headspace every day, It’s a wonder that we can get anything done.

I am guilty of this. Latching on to one interest or another and not setting a goal and milestones to keep on track. But the few times I have done this, it is energizing and liberating.

So make it a project.

What is your objective? Really.

Knowing what you want is easier said than done. For me there are a thousand and one things I could want or do, but I have to ask, “Is it really what I want?” For example, I might want a new computer, but that’s probably because it gets marketed to me constantly. What is it I really want? I want to write, create, work, and get things done! So, the new computer is probably not necessary, and even if it was, its a tool to a really objective(s).

Making something into a project helps me think more about the objective. The more specific the objective, the easier it is to accomplish the project. Be honest with yourself, what do you want, and then go deeper; what do you really want.

Setting milestones

To get somewhere, it helps to have smaller wins along the way to keep going. The longer the journey, the hard it is to remain on task, and in good spirits when the finish is so far away.

Just like most projects, your personal objectives need milestones. I like to make some that are achievable in the next 3 months and some that are much further out. I use google calendar and Things 3 to keep me on task and achieving that I need to get done. I have also used Trello, which is a fantastic tool. Maybe I will go back to that in the near future.

You have to reflect

See what I did just there when talking about Trello? It helps to reflect on your objective (the what) and also the how and why of what you are working towards. In Adam Grant’s book, Think Again, he makes the case that it’s not just okay to rethink your decisions, its crucial to get the best outcomes. I think that is a valuable thought for both life and for your career / business. We reward the steadfast and unwavering in our minds, but like the horde of lemmings running off a cliff, it may not get us where we actually want to go.