I would really like to read this article on having more time but…my kids are screaming at each other…my husband is wanting to know where his clean underwear are…grandma’s made a mess on the floor, again…and why is that damn dog barking…oh my, there are some policemen at the door with my son…STOP!

It’s no wonder that we fail at the new goals we have set…we have no time for them.  When your schedule is already jam-packed, when a trip to paradise is locking yourself in the bathroom for a few minutes (even then the kids, significant other and/or the dog still wants to know “what are you doing in there!”) just where do you think you’re going to put your new goal?

So, let’s be honest about the whole thing and get rid of the “I’ve-tried-so-hard-and-I-can’t-do-it” guilt.  Use these steps below to decide if your goal is even possible right now.  If it is, then go for it.  If not, then wait till next quarter with the intention that you will find room and then go for it.  If next quarter you still have not found the space, then it is truly just a dream and needs to be taken off your “I’ll Achieve List” and put in the file that says “maybe in my next life”.

1.  Just how much time will your goal take?  (but don’t get discouraged yet) For example, to become physically fit you’ll want to workout 30-40 minutes per day at least 4 days per week. To reach that sales goal you’ll need to talk to 10 people to get to one yes.  To arrange for bail for your son you’ll want to talk to at least 5 bondsmen.

2. What is the smallest step you can break your goal into?  Exercise for 1 minute per day?  Make one extra sales call per day?  Call one bondsmen per week (what’s the hurry; he’s not going any where).

I know I can hear you now; one minute per day is not going to get me anywhere.  Well, it’s more that you’re doing now, you’ve broken the cycle of inactivity (a body at rest tends to stay at rest, a body in motion tends to stay in motion).  And you’re doing it in such a fashion by taking such a small step that you will probably be able to find the time to do it.

3.  What are you going to give up to make room for your 1 minute, 1 call, etc?  Yeah, remember the schedule that is soooo tight you can’t even go to the bathroom by yourself.  You don’t even have 1 minute to spare, so something’s got to go…you decide what it will be.

4.  Take Action.  Starting tomorrow, give up your old way of being to bring in the new.  Once you have performed this new activity for 7 days, double it (2 minutes exercise, 2 phone calls, 2 bail guys, etc.)  Just remember, now you have double the amount of time so that means double amount of the old out and the new in.  Then double again for your third week.

5.  After 21 days evaluate and celebrate.  Look at what has worked, what hasn’t and capitalize on the things that moved you forward while leaving behind the things that didn’t.  And find a way to pat yourself on the back, to reward yourself…no one wants to work for a ungrateful task master.

6.  Call me to set your free consultation on how I can help you in this process.  Oh, come on, you surely didn’t think I was going to do all the work in typing this out and not put in a plug for my services… (636) 699-7791.

Dawn