Career – Ruthann M. Wilson

First Things First

Priorities

“Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.”

—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

First things first is a phrase that basically means things that are truly important should be prioritized over less important things. What are less important things? Whatever you decide based on the type of life that you want to live.

First things first is something we all know, but many of us struggle to put into practice on a regular basis. There is often a gap between what we say is important and what we actually do. Over time, the gap can contribute to feelings of being inadequate, inauthentic, off track, etc.

Becoming aware of where we have gaps is the first step to creating better alignment between actions and priorities. If you are experiencing a gap between what you say is important and what you actually do on a day-to-day basis, take a step back and explore the gap. Use what you learn to make changes/adjustments to your personal and/or professional life.

Here’s an activity, best accomplished in writing, to get you started:

Create a list of 3-5 things that are important to you. Be specific as possible. Put them in order.
Reflect on the past three months and record the order in which these things have been a priority in your life.
Is the first thing on your list, first in your life? If not, why not?
Do the things on your list reflect what you (vs. someone else) want for your life?
Identify steps you can take to align your actions with the order of the priorities on your list.
Ask someone you trust to lovingly hold you accountable.
Take action

Priority setting is an effective tool to create focus in your life. It will help you stay true to what matters most in your life.

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All the best,

Ruthann

Reflect on Your Week

Days of the week

Reflection is a powerful way to pause, slow down, and evaluate your life. Taking time over the weekend to reflect on the week that has past will help you keep your life in progress and your goals on track. Small changes on a daily and weekly basis can have a BIG effect.

Make a commitment to spend 15-30 minutes over the weekend (Saturday or Sunday) to first, look back and then, look forward. I have outlined a few questions, best answered in writing, to help get you started.

Look back

What did I accomplish?
What didn’t I accomplish that I wanted to? Why?
What did I learn?
How did I grow?
What’s working?
What’s not working?
Who or what was my greatest blessing?

Look forward

What are my top priorities for the week ahead? Why?
Based on my review of last week, what might I do differently in the coming week?

Use the power of reflection on a weekly basis to help you learn, grow, and keep moving forward.

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All the best,

Ruthann

Mid-Year: Review, Reflect, Keep Moving Forward

Forward

It’s hard to believe that we are halfway through the year. It’s a good time to pause and reflect on the first half of the year to see where you are versus where you hoped to be this time of the year. Make an effort to look back at the first half of the year without getting stuck in feelings of guilt or regret if you are off track. The goal of a mid-year evaluation is to review, reflect, correct, and move forward.

If you work in a business setting, you are more than likely used to a mid-year assessment related to your role/position. It is also a good practice for other areas of your life. Here are a few questions for you to consider:

What have I accomplished year to date?
- Consider all of your life areas (e.g., career, finances, health & fitness, etc.)
- Celebrate your accomplishments no matter how big or small.
What didn’t I accomplish that I really wanted to? Why?
Who or what has been my greatest blessing? Why?
What did I learn?
How did I grow?
What am I really committed to?

The last question is important to crystalize as a part of your mid-year evaluation. It will help you to see where you need to make adjustments to your current plan or change course and create a new plan of action.

For your reference, I have provided links to previous posts that are related to this topic.

Be Intentional (includes a downloadable worksheet)

Focus on what truly matters

SMART Goals: Bring Your Desires to Life

Create a Vision Board

Create a Theme for the Year

Keep moving forward! 🙂

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All the best,

Ruthann

SMART Goals: Bring Your Desires to Life

This post was inspired by a mini-workshop that I recently conducted on creating goals, in particular, SMART* goals. The acronym SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound.

Setting goals is a way to bring your desires to life. Goals enable you to go from hoping and wishing to manifesting what you truly desire.

If you work in a business setting, you are more than likely used to setting and achieving goals related to your role/position. However, most people don’t have personal goals (e.g., career, relationship, financial, etc.) that are specific and written down. It is estimated that only 3% of people have written goals.

Time is one of your most precious resources. The SMART approach is a great way to create written goals and structure your time.

Questions to consider as you create each goal:

Specific: What exactly will you accomplish?
Measurable: How will you know when you have reached your goal?
Attainable: Is your goal challenging, yet attainable?
Relevant: Is your goal clearly linked to your values/what matters most?
Time bound: By what date will you accomplish your goal?

If there is something that you are hoping/wishing to accomplish “someday”, make today the day you give it a deadline, create a plan, and put your plan into action.

Consider using images and/or symbols as visual reminders of your desired outcome (click here to see my post on Vision Boards).

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All the best,

Ruthann

*SMART concept created by George Doran