OK, you decided to have Thanksgiving dinner. Now decide what you want to have. Most people have turkey, but not everyone does. Some people have ham or a vegetarian dish. Then you figure out the side dishes, the appetizers, the desserts and the drinks. And, so you don’t forget anything, you write everything down.
It’s the same thing with leadership: what do you want? Not every woman wants to get married and be a stay-at-home mom, and not every woman wants a career. Do you want to start a small business? Do you want to be a millionaire? Do you want to visit every one of the fifty U.S. states? Do you want to see each of the seven wonders of the world?
Not sure? Take a pad of paper and start writing. Ask yourself, “What do I want? Or, better yet, give yourself an open-ended statement (“I want…”, “The thing that would make me happy is…”, “My fulfillment and let your unconscious mind speak to you. Keep the pad of paper with you for about a week. Add to your list each time you get an idea – no matter how boring or crazy or impossible your conscious mind may think it is.
Once you have filled your list and feel there’s nothing more, then put your list in order. Make three columns: “Definitely Want”, “Probably Want”, Would be Nice To Have”. Next, number the items in each column starting with “most wanted” (# 1).
Pick one or two and create your goal.
