SEEING WHERE YOU ARE
ONCE a while it’s good to pause and ask yourself; “Where am I?” This question is not an enquiry about your geographical location; it queries your location in light of your dreams and aspirations. Many companies ask this question of their staff. They call it performance evaluation. It is usually done to assess the delivery of employees vis-à-vis their job description and corporate goals. Such an exercise enables the company to measure their successes and shortfalls so they can take steps to ensure optimum results.
In our personal lives, such an assessment could be useful. It helps us to evaluate our goals and to establish how far we’ve reached with their execution. At some point in life, we need to pause and check where we are. Normally when I’m travelling and it’s a long journey, I like to have an estimate of the duration and distance that the journey covers beforehand. What I often do en route is that I consistently look at my watch to ascertain how long I’ve been on the road and to get an estimate of how much more time I shall spend on the road. I also pay attention to signposts indicating the distance I have to cover ahead of me. This often helps me to track whether or not I’m within schedule. When I do that it helps me to plan effectively and to operate efficiently. I’m able to manage all my appointments appropriately.
As we travel through life, it’s important that we constantly assess our routes to ascertain whether or not we are on the right path; whether we should slow down or move faster; change route or keep moving in same direction.
SENSITIVITY TO YOUR GOALS
IF YOU forget your goals, you cannot evaluate them. Therefore it is important that we keep our goals in perspective. Many people set great goals at the beginning of the year but by the end of the third month, those goals would have evaporated from their minds. Such people go through the rest of the year without any compelling dream. And all too soon, they find that the year is at its end and they find themselves wanting. When you set any target, the last thing that should happen to it is to allow it to escape from your life. What you need to do to keep your goals alive is to constantly remind yourself of what you set out to achieve. Do this on a daily basis.
In order not to forget the goals you set, it will be prudent to write them down. Keep the written document at a place where you will see it everyday and make sure that you take small steps daily. When it’s time for evaluation, that document could come in handy.
SECOND LOOK AT YOUR GOALS
A GOAL is an intended destination. We all know that to reach a destination, we must follow a path. Every time we set a goal, we also determine some action points. Take a look at what you said you would do and what you have done. Measure and establish the gaps between your goals and your prevailing reality. Establish the causes of the gaps and think of ways to bridge the gaps as you move along. Sometimes, you may have to adjust your goals or change them completely.
SINCERE ASSESSMENT OF YOURSELF
IN ASSESSING ourselves, we need to be honest in our conclusions. We should be realistic. I think that each of us could be our own best judges if we would adopt a posture of sincerity. I have to be able to say to me that, “Ah Terry! That is a lousy move.” I should be able to reprimand myself for the bad choices I make. That way, I could step up and move in the right direction. I heard former British Prime Minister Tony Blair say that anytime he made a silly move a cabinet member would say something like, “That is a pretty bold move, Mr Prime Minister.” Under those circumstances, he had to be smart enough to know that he was heading in the wrong direction. If we are not honest with ourselves, no one would deal with us honestly. Sometimes people may not have the courage or sincerity to tell us that we are messing up. We must deal honestly with ourselves; and by that we’ll be doing ourselves lots of good.
© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana
Originally written in September 2009 and edited for the Business and Financial Times (Lifestyle edition) of Friday July 8, 2011
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