Before moving to Mazatlán, my family and I lived in a south suburb of Chicago where I drove 2 ½ hours to and from work each day. We only lived 25 miles from my job at the University of Illinois at Chicago, but the traffic made it a gruesome commute. To avoid falling asleep on the road and to make the best use of my time, I invested in a subscription to Audible. An Amazon company, Audible, provides an audio version of books that are available in other print and digital formats. Authors, speakers, and actors read a variety of fiction and non-fiction titles available in the store found at audible.com. During the long drives to my job in the morning and on the return home in the evening, I found Audible as a great resource to learn about a variety of topics.
Although nowadays in Mexico, I work primarily from home, I continue to use Audible as a tool within my personal development kit. It continues to serve as a resource to listen to books, while cleaning up around the house, going for a walk, or taking a moment for myself during down time.
On Sunday, I began listening/reading Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington’s The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 weeks Than Others do in 12 months. This book discusses the importance of creating specific goals divided into weekly plans over the course of a three - month period. The authors present the idea that planning for three months is more effective than the annual approach that is often a staple of most businesses. Through the first four hours of Moran and Lennington’s book, I have found encouragement to reassess the visions for my business.
The vision for my business includes my services as a consultant, writer, and capoeirista. I plan to continue working with businesses and schools to offer education services and materials with a focus on personal development, diversity and inclusion, and well-being. Through my writing projects, I will continue to author books, articles, and blog posts that will provide useful information to individuals and organizations interested in my areas of expertise. To efficiently produce content, expand services, and create valuable products, I will invest in personal development resources such as books, conferences, and professional associations.
To meet the goals that are in alignment with the vision for my business, I will have to also consistently pour love and support into the personal relationships of my life. It is imperative that I take time away from work to spend time with my wife and children. Success in business is futile if I don't have a family to share the fruit of labor. The goals of my personal life also include creating a more life/work integration structure that can enable me to be more attentive to the needs of my family at home. As reinforced in Moran and Lennington's book, a balance between work and personal responsibilities is a myth. We need to work towards the creation of goals that encourage life and work integration.
To meet the goals that I have outlined above, it will require me to create small daily, weekly, and monthly goals. For brevity, I did not include the details of my plans in this blog post, but I am confident that I will be successful in the vision for my business and life. I am grateful for resources such as Audible that enable me to access information as I continue to build my dream life while living abroad.
What's one goal that you can commit to accomplishing over the next 12 weeks? Leave your goal in the comments and join a group of individuals who can hold you accountable. Join my mailing list for access to useful resources that can help you in your journey toward success.