Being SMART Beginning in 2008
Dr. C. M. Gonzalez, LifeCare Chiropractic, El Paso, TX and Albuquerque, NM.
Things do not change; we change. - Henry David Thoreau
Can you believe it we are starting another year? I commonly hear from people that are in their 40's how time flies. I tell them, "Wait till you hit 50". So what are your plans for 2008? Many people have good intentions and plan to make some changes with a New Year's resolution. This is a great time to plan for the upcoming New Year. Health and finances are usually the priorities at this time of the year. Gym enrollments skyrocket during the month of January. Whatever your plans and goals are make sure you use S.M.A.R.T. goals.
What are S.M.A.R.T. goals?
- ‘S' stands for specific
- ‘M' for measurable
- ‘A' for attainable
- ‘R' for realistic
- ‘T' for timely
Specific goals answer the what, where, when and why of your goals. For example, your goal might be, "I want to lose some weight." SMART goals would be better stated as, "I will lose thirty pounds by May 30 because my health will improve, I will feel better and look better. I will also get a better rate on my life insurance. I will accomplish this by walking five times a week for forty-five minutes and cut down on snack foods and second helpings of food.
January is also a good time to re-evaluate your business. Business owners can evaluate last year's activities. Were last year's goals met? If not, why not? Were you on top of the financials on a monthly basis? If you are new to business you need to be aware of all of the company's spending, how much is going to where, who and for what.
If last year's goals were not met, what needs to happen to reach them this year? Do the goals need to be changed or modified? Were you meeting on a quarterly basis with your CPA to review the goals and financials? Is your mission and purpose statement in line with your goals? These are some areas that you can look at and evaluate how you and your business are doing. I can tell you from seventeen years of experience that a good CPA, bookkeeper and business attorney are vital for any successful business.
Relationships are another excellent area to work on in January. Anniversaries are my favorite time of the year to re-valuate relationships. But regardless of when you decide to work on relationships, the important thing is that you do it.
Two-way communication is so vital and important for any relationship. Communication is a whole other area that would make an excellent goal to work on. Listening is a skill that should be mastered. Sometimes we think we understand what we heard but we really did not hear what the other person meant to say. A good technique is to repeat to the other person what you heard them say in your own words and see if it is what they meant to say. Sometimes the other person is not the best communicator and did not say what they really wanted to say.
This technique helps ensure that what is being said is what's supposed to be said and understood by both parties. It leaves no room for, "But I thought you meant ....." after a problem arises because of miscommunication. This is an excellent technique to use with children
Asking better questions is another area of communication that can be improved. If you want better answers ask better questions. Don't come across as attacking when discussing issues. Have a win-win attitude in trying to come up solutions to problems or areas that need work.
- Are both parties' needs being met or is the relationship one-sided?
- What problems, if any, have been identified?
- Are you and your spouse or significant other working towards the same goals?
- Are your goals now different than when you first met?
These are some other areas to think about. Here are a couple of good quotes; "To err is human, to remain in error is stupid" and "Insanity- doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".
January is a time of renewal and new beginnings. It is a time for ORSA. ORSA? What is ORSA? ORSA is the Latin word for new beginnings. ORSA is also a three-day experience to create new beginnings in your life. My ORSA experience in October was a great way to plan and get ready for one of the best years of my life, 2008. This is an exciting time of year. It is a time of planting many good seeds so that you can have a bountiful harvest in spring.
If you truly want a successful life you need to have a well thought out written plan for the year. Here are the eight disciplines that ORSA covers; Family, Friends, Finances, Career, Faith, Personal, Health and Recreation. Once you have reviewed those areas you will have your blueprint for success. You and your family's lives are far too valuable to leave things to chance. ORSA is coming to Northeast Ohio in 2008. You'll hear more about it soon.
May you always have Health to Spare, Friends that Care and Love to Share.
Dr. C. M. Gonzalez has been practicing chiropractic for seventeen years. He has authored over one hundred articles and is the author of the soon to be published book, HANGING OUT FOR THE HEALTH OF IT-One Minute A Day To a Healthier, Happier and Longer Life. You can e-mail him at drcmgonzalez50@yahoo.com. He is in private practice at LifeCare Chiropractic, with three offices in El Paso and one in Albuquerque, NM. He may be reached at 915-881-8000 or 915-532-CARE.
