Building Momentum

 (Originally appeared in the July 1, 2004 edition of the Century City News)

“I didn’t plan to wind up here.  How can I take back control of my life?”

Most of us wind up where we are because we are swept along by day to day events, responding to what’s right in front of us, what’s hot, what’s urgent.  We’re reactive.  It’s instinctive to live in the short term and fight fires all day long:  meet the client’s deadline, make the house payment, get dinner on the table…  You’re great at treading water, but it’s unlikely that you’ll ever make it across the pool.

 

So how do you take back control?  You need a plan—a blueprint to follow that shows you how to move forward.

Imagine you are building a house based solely on whim and what attracts your eye.  With no blueprint to follow, you’d likely wind up with three swimming pools, a Jacuzzi and no bathrooms.

Building your life is far more challenging and infinitely more important.  Your time is limited.  Your energy is finite.  The demands on you are enormous:  work, finances, family and then…when do you find time to go to the gym, hang with a friend, take in a Dodger’s game, sleep?  Since, (as far as we know) this is the only life you get, are you willing to leave it to chance?

Here’s how you create a plan.  The first thing you need to do is lift your head above the everyday fray and take a good look at here—this moment, as you sit reading this column—and there—the life you want to be living.

Start by interviewing yourself.  Ask the following:

            Q:“Self, what are the areas of my life that I’m satisfied with?”

Your answer might be something like this:

A: “Thanks for asking. Well, I make a good income, live in a house I love and like the people I work with.  I’m well-regarded professionally and stimulated by my work. I have two wonderful (if challenging) kids.”

            Q:“Self, what areas would I like to change?”

A: “I’m spending too much time at work and rarely see my friends. I’m not even sure my work is meaningful.  I’m 30 pounds overweight and feel tired. I don’t have time for a relationship in my life and I’m kind of lonely.”

            Q: What are the things in life that are most important to me?

A:  “Having free time, being financially secure, raising happy kids, being healthy, making a difference in my community.”

Feeling super self-aware?  OKAY, HERE’S YOUR HOMEWORK:  Keeping in mind where you are starting from and what you value, paint a word picture of the life you want to live.  Find a quiet space and take ten minutes to write a description of the life you’d like to build.  Think broadly:  Where would you live?  Who would the people in your life be?  How would you spend your free time?  Think professional life.  Think relationships. Think physical environment. Think finances.  Think recreation and fun. Think spirituality. Think self-development. Think health and fitness. 

Once you have finished this assignment, pat yourself on the back and have a piece of chocolate.  You have completed the first step in writing a plan to take back control of your life. 

We want to hear from you and know that you want to hear what others have to say, so please e-mail us your word picture.  We will include snippets in next month’s column. 

Roberta Lachman and Julie Grass are partners in The Momentum Group.  They help people achieve success through coaching, Momentum Groups and workshops.  Contact them at Info@TheMomentumGroup.biz.