January 7, 2008

Progress and Process

We paused talking about goals last time. I hate to do that, it is such a rich subject - Last week they bumped into resolutions, an issue that has soured so many of us on goals. And we didn’t speak about dealing with qualitative goals; they are so hard to measure.

Whether the goal is quantitative or pseudo-quantitative, it should never be treated as a project. A Project is already well-defined; you can identify the critical path; you can see the milestones. You can project it into the future, bringing the future into the present.

A goal is a Process; it evolves. Paths can be chaotic and converge in time, disappear, or create new possibilities – new goals. You define criteria that define progress, that define success. For example, I have a goal of having vibrant health – What is that? Hoe do I define such a goal? My wife has the same goal!! But my criteria are very different from hers. We have different ways of gathering resources, getting support, looking at possible outcomes.

A process requires a prairie dog mentality – you continually pop your head up and survey the landscape; reassess the goal; discover the milestones or invent them. A path doesn’t pre-exist; you create it by moving forward…

The next Success Principles free teleseminar starts NOW Monday January 7th - 7:30 to 8:30 EST. The dates are January 7, 14, 21, 28 & February 4,11. Sign up here now. Seats are limited.

Useful Quotes

The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit
of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore
will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced
that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you
closer to fulfilling your dreams.
Og Mandino

If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had
them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
Michael Jordan

Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself.
Robert F. Bennett

I do not believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process.
Oprah Winfrey

In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.
Eleanor Roosevelt

 Creative Corner

Junk Soup – a Process
Michael Lipp

I am a master soup maker
Or so I’m told
And so my taste tells me
But I confess
My soup’s a mess
I do not have a recipe
For making soup
My soup’s a simple process.
There are things I always have
and so I use them.
Garlic and onions (red),
Celery and carrots
And there are things I never have
And those I never use.
Like beets and Brussels sprouts
The rest is every leftover
And maybe I throw in noodles,
Maybe not
Maybe I throw in rice
Depending on our last meal
Depending on how I feel
Sometimes I grind it all up
If what I want is thick soup
Sometimes I don’t
I never thunk about what I do
It’s junk and it’s never a disaster
Because I am its master

 I have four blogs:

Creating Today - A daily journal on creativity
Contributing Coaching - Creating New Futures
Blogging for the Reading - Making a Difference in how we Create
Michael's Articles - articles that don't fit anywhere else.

You can now sign up to get all my BLOG updates by email – there are up to four of them. In the right hand column of my blog, under Blogroll, click on FeedBlitz – You will get posts by email.