Distraction-Proof® Advisor Ideas

Hopefully you haven’t broken all of your New Year’s resolutions yet! You likely set your business goals for the year and are already at work on them. What about goals for other areas of your life? If you haven’t already done so, summarize your annual objectives onto a single page, so you can see a snapshot of the important areas of your life and exactly what you want to achieve in each of them.

 If you’ve followed me for very long, you know I strongly believe there is tremendous power in having your goals written down, rather than just vaguely formed in your mind. I know that to many it seems a small and insignificant step that’s easy to skip, but omitting this activity is insidiously costly! By having your goals written and posted where you can glance at them at the beginning of each day, refreshing them in your mind and truly considering them, you will be more focused on where you want to be by December 31^st, 2014. You’ll begin your day primed for deliberate action and ready to spot and avoid distractions that could subtly erode your quality time and productivity.

Remember before in-car GPS systems and smart-phone map apps, when we kept folded paper maps in the glove compartments of our cars? Locking the route in your mind was always more difficult when your ultimate destination required you to turn the page. The map was always much easier to follow if you could see both your beginning and end point at once glance.

Each year, in some down time between Christmas and New Year’s Day, I finalize my goals for the next year and write them out in one, simple to read Excel document which I then view each morning. In one click I can see what I’ve deemed is important to achieve this year, be it my business, relationship, spiritual, or physical objectives. I am very specific, recording how many new clients I’d like to end the year with, how many speaking engagements I’d like to have throughout the year, how often I will have dates with my wife and ideas of things for us to do, what Bible study I want to do and books I want to read, and even how many times a week I plan to work out. Most importantly, I can see each category directly in front of me in a single document.

Your written list of annual goals should be your map for the year, with your complete route visible in one glance. For your map to be even more effective, under your goal in each category, write down steps you’ll need to take to reach your objective.  Seeing your objectives this way gives you a greater sense of control over everything. You can see what needs to be done and schedule time to get it done.

Be realistic about the time frame and tasks involved to achieve each goal. Saying that you’re going to work out 5 times a week sounds great, but if you haven’t worked out more than twice a week since you were at college, start with something more realistic. Getting to the gym 3 times this week might be a great place to begin.

If you have wanted to begin that newsletter to your clients, instead of imaging a lofty picture of publishing a masterful investment newsletter each month, consider writing a quarterly market summary to get started. Then, when you’re more aware of the time required for research and writing, you can decide if committing to writing more is going to be practical, helpful, and enjoyable.

If you haven’t yet drawn out your map for 2014, this week:

 1. Open a document – perhaps in Word or Excel.

 2. Record some major categories in your life that you’d like to develop this year (I typically focus on business/financial, physical, relationships, and spiritual categories).

 3. Set at least one objective for each category.

 4. Consider and record the incremental steps you will need to take to achieve your objectives.

 5. Keep the document where you can view it daily. The viewing won’t magically make things happen, but before you begin filling up your day with activities, you’ll be more focused on the actions you have identified as needed for moving you toward what is most important in your life. That purposeful time each day will help keep you on track toward your year-end destination: you’ll remain more energized, distraction-free, and motivated to allocate your valuable time, talent, and concentration toward what matters most.

Let me know about your progress!
Paul