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Goal-Setting & Execution- For Procrastinators (like me)

BY Paula Yee Sing-Edwards | 07-16-2008 | 10:53 PM
This blog is written by a member of our blogging community and expresses that member's views alone.

This is for all you..er...us... procrastinators.

Goal-setting is a vital step in getting ahead and developing personally or professionally. Setting 'finishing points' is easy.....getting them done is HARD!!!

I am a born planner. I wish I had a job where I could organize everyone's life, schedule, future... BUT, very few things do I actually accomplish. Why? I procrastinate! I feel so good after making the perfect plan, I spend forever patting myself on the shoulder, and planning more. But what is the use in having well made plans if we fail to execute them?

This has been a serious problem in my life. So I have recently made adjustments to improve my goal execution.

My plans are always written; I actually keep an idea book, where I make notes when I brainstorm or I list things I want to accomplish in life, for the year, the month, the week, the day...you get the idea... I WRITE everything.

Next, I set deadlines (I work best under pressure...even is self inflicted!) to achieve these and outline how I am going to go about it. Everyday I do something-no matter how small- towards achieving the goal...then I 'tickie' it!!! YES...TICKIE (ticky?...sticky? however we splelt it in school). It is a great feeling to put a check mark at things we planned to accomplish; it gives a sense of satisfaction and moves us a step closer to our finish point.

Now, as a procrastinator, getting the listed things done is a task, so I have to train myself (boot camp styleee). I tend to start things and finish, so since I am aware of this problem I make a concentrated effort to complete. I set small seemingly mundane goals. For example, at the gym on the treadmill I will set it for 15 mins and by 12 or 13 mins I figure I could stop to begin another workout. BUT in Paula's bootcamp I have to stick it out and complete the 15 mins- my goal.

If I am reading a book, I set a goal to complete certain chapters and I do not stop until I finish the goal.

Slowly I am seeing evidence of progress...even in maintaining the writing of these notes and blogs, I am like that old-ish Jamaican Festival Song (Mi Stop, Mi Go, Mi Stop...mi stop, mi go, mi stop, mi go....stop and gooooooooo)-pardon the corniness, I can't help it!

So...us partial doers...sufferers of Adult ADD (Adult Attention Deficit Disorder)...let's work on it together and get stuff done.

Hoping you had a fabulous and productive day,

Paula Yee Sing-Edwards

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