Planning An Execution

I’m planning an execution this week. This was the last straw. Don’t bother alerting the authorities. Don’t try to talk me out of it. It’s long overdue. It is deserved.

The target?

My weekly to-do list.

You see, as much as I realize the need to plan out my week in order to be effective, I still keep trying to do wayyyy more than is on my list. I’m not executing my plan. I’m executing my sanity.

I’m like the proverbial kid in the candy store. I want everything my eyes lay hold of. But this kid has a budget – my time. I can’t do everything I want to do. Especially if I want to be effective in the things that are most important to me.

So this week, I’m identifying the main objectives. The targets that I want to focus on. The things I want to accomplish after serving my main roles in life as son, husband, father and friend.

This week I’m targeting:
Writing each day for 30 minutes.
Pursuing an agent / publishing agreement for my novel.
Continuing my scheduled ultramarathon training.
Prepping the class for next week’s students.
Working systematically on my summer house projects for my family.

How will I execute the plan? Here are a few small S.T.E.P.S. I will follow:

1. Steadfast – (The power of saying “no”) I have set important goals for myself. Audacious goals. So I must be able to say “no” to the smaller ideas that compete for my attention and distract me from my long-term objectives.

2. Tweak – (The power of saying “yes”) I have to discern between what are common distractions, and what are divine interjections. I have to remain firm, but flexible, knowing that my small human plans are subject to greater heavenly plans.

3. Endure – (The power of pushing on, and pushing in) Anytime I set goals, I have to accept that there will be obstacles along way. Sometimes, I have to push on through the disappointments. Sometimes, I have to push into them, learning the needed lessons that ultimately shape my character.

4. Positive – (The power of celebration) While a ship journeys across the sea, the captain may have to adjust the wheel hundreds of times to account for changes in wind, currents, etc. The journey to my goals will also be marked by challenges that require adjustments. I can’t let the challenges define me, but rather be defined by my responses to them. I can look at each obstacle as an opportunity.

5. Share – (The power of inclusion) While the path to my goals is a very personal one, the experiences along the way are rich with opportunities to connect with others. I can tell them about my fears, setbacks, strides and small victories. I need to let them share in the journey, because ultimately, my goals are about people.

These are the S.T.E.P.S. laid out for me to reach my goals. If failing to plan is planning to fail, then I must plot out the path for success.

I have planned an execution. I am taking down my weekly to-do list.

I am off to the chamber. Ready to pull the switch. On the execution of my plan.