I’ve always done some form of planning whether it be a calendar or a to-do list. This year is the first year I followed a yearly goal setting structure and attempted planning out a year in advance. And I must say it was somewhat intimidating because in the past the most I ever planned was 2 weeks in advance.  A quick review of the goals I set at the beginning of the year resulted in 80% progress or success on those 10 goals. I haven’t done the full year review yet, but I count it a success as it has helped me stay focused, less distracted by shiny objects plus I completed or made progress on 8 goals.

For me, one of the reasons I found it intimidating to plan that far in advance was because in the past I’d feel like like I had failed because I didn’t meet a deadline or just gave up on the project altogether. Societal programming says that failure is bad, when in reality it’s just part of the process and progress. Viewing it as a learning opportunity, gleaning the lessons and moving forward is all part of the journey.

I’ll be sharing some of what I learned on my Inspired Marketing and More call on Dec 16th. If your reading this after that date, you can access the replays when you join. While many do their goal setting/planning at the end/beginning of the year, I heard of one person who does it annually around his birthday, in other words its never to late, start now. One of the things I’ve learned is that having a structure and various forms of regular review are vital.

One program that opens up only once a year is Michael Hyatt’s Best Year Ever. If your reading this in December or the first week of January check it out and see if it’s something that will work for you.