A top performer at a consulting firm once told her partners that her goal for the year was to achieve a “3” on her annual performance review. In that world, a “3” meant that you met expectations, compared to her ongoing track record of “1’s” that indicated her stellar contributions and performance.
For her, being public about the 3 was of utmost importance. A 3 meant that she would be able to achieve some level of balance in her life, which until then had been about work intruded on her weekends and evenings, about constant travel, about eating and sleeping poorly. She was living a life of all work, no play, and she knew that it was neither sustainable nor desirable.
Her intention was clear. She was committed to staying at the firm but needed it to commit to her as well in, a whole new way.
Sometimes we make things too complicated for ourselves, setting a multitude of overwhelming goals and loading them with 100 related tactical activities. It’s a checklist from Hell, and it’s one that can really distract us from what we really want and can achieve in our lives.
If you’re already feeling overwhelmed by the redonkulous year you’ve plotted out for yourself, maybe it’s time to just simplify, to find your “3,” so to speak.
If you were to state your intention for the year, what would it be?
Quick! It’s right there on the tip of your tongue! Write it down, now!
Right there with you this year,
Carolyn Ou
Executive/Leadership Coach
Sandbox Consulting
carolyn@sandboxco.com
In the Sandbox 