Reflections: My Personal Strategic Plan
Precisely 365 days ago, I wrote my first ever personal strategic plan (PSP). Home on New Year’s Eve 2019, I was down in the dumps and bummed about not having exciting plans to ring in the new year. I had no idea that I was just practicing to be home for almost the entirety of 2020!
Back to the plan though. Curious if any of you out there have a written PSP or is this just my OCD kicking in? During my first year of college, I did fold a sheet of goldenrod paper into 16 squares and wrote a goal in each square. In the center of the paper, I wrote “Imagination x Vividness = Reality. Over the years, I transferred it onto another goldenrod sheet and adjusted the goals and I still have that paper on my desk, but I wouldn’t call it strategic. So, I thought it might be useful for someone out there if I shared a bit about my PSP.
The three goals I focused on in 2020 were relationships (of all types, including dating), my health, and giving myself grace. While I won’t lay out all my biz for you, here’s a window into my thoughts when I decided to pen this thing:
“As the year comes to a close and a new year looms, I have decided to walk through life differently. This past year I have been very reactive to life. In this new year, I plan to be on the other end of the spectrum living my life with purpose. I know God has given me many talents, but I often find myself saying, “Let me pray on it.” At times that can be a cop out that requires no thought or action on my part. A waiting game that doesn’t fully use the gifts and talents that He has blessed me with.”
The good news is that I didn’t just write my PSP and then shelve it. I actually pulled it out from time to time, especially when I was feeling the pressure of living through a pandemic and racial reckoning. And, especially as I continued to ask myself if I was being a good ancestor with the choices I was making. So, how did I do? I killed the game in some respects and other areas will clearly remain a priority in 2021. However, I’m proud of myself for being aware. Here’s the high level 411:
Relationships – I took some time to heal from a break-up that I took on the chin. I spent more quality time with my children and my parents. Zoom allowed me to spend time maintaining friendships I’ve had for a lifetime and strengthen newer ones.
Health – I dropped 25 pounds this year and caught a glimpse of my rib cage that has been hiding from me for at least 25 years. I bought a Peloton and am addicted to seeing my blue workout dot at least 6 days a week.
Grace – Yeah. So, I have a bit of work to do here. I can get 100 things right, but tend to focus on that one thing that went wrong. And, in full transparency, this is the only goal that had zero strategies connected to it. Without intentionally working on this, I was not going to move the needle. (insert face palm)
Tonight, I am sitting down and tweaking this plan for 2021. My youngest son and I are also crafting vision boards as part of our NYE’s celebration. Like many scholars out there, he is struggling a bit during his first year of high school via Zoom. During non-COVID times, he is an elite athlete and has goals to play college and professional basketball. Since we’re stuck at home bonding, I thought it would be a good time to teach him some organizational and goal setting skills and make some homemade pizza.
As you reflect on the train wreck that was 2020, I do hope you find some things that went well. In fact, there is probably something you did really well to help your community survive and keep moving forward as we battled an invisible foe.
I’m ending 2020 with an emphatic, “Dueces!” and starting 2021 with an adjusted, but purposeful lens.
@CEOARJ
“Empowered by ancestral hustle and warrior soul.”
*All statements expressed in this blog are my personal views and not a representation of Washington STEM.
