Are you living by a coin toss?

At the end of each year, I  take a few days off to develop my business plan for 2010.  Why do this?

Because it lets me take charge even if I can’t control the outcomes.  (Funny- it’s a good way to life when you’ve got chronic illness.)

Are you being proactive in living your life?  What might change in your life if you were?

Here’s what I do:

1. I review my core business mission (e.g., providing people living with chronic illness the resources and support they need to be successful in work).  I reflect on whether I met that.  If not, why not?  If yes, how?  Then, I consider if this will stay the same for the following year.
2. I review the  business  goals for the past year, whether I met them and why or why not. Then, I set new ones for the next year
3. I look at what I wanted to accomplish in my core products and whether I did that or not, always asking why or why not.  This is the most time consuming part.  But, it’s crucial because it gives me the data to set my focus for the next year, the resources (time and money) each requires, and  how it will help me achieve my business goals.   This allows me to make decisions with intention, rather than on a whim.

This  strategic thinking allows me to run my business with clear intention.  Apply this model to your business, your career or your life.

There are other things to consider.  In 2007, I described 3  core behaviors that are critical to success–  for everyone, but even more so for us in “New Years Thoughts“.

And, I wrote about living with hope last year in “The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Loss of Hope”.   After a year in which I  faced  increasing periods of illness myself,  I continue to believe in the need for hope.

Are you living with  intention?  Are you creating desired outcomes and mapping a strategic plan?  What has worked for you? What isn’t working?

These ideas don’t  mean that everything I do goes as I plan.  But they let me  take charge and be my own judge.   It’s better than leaving it up to a coin toss, isn’t it?