Posts Tagged Philosophy
Personal Development Plan With Getting Things Done
Posted by Job Self in Personal Development on June 22nd, 2009
Photo by: yarranz
The “Getting Things Done” philosophy has helped me make better, clearer plans for achieving my goals. I want to share with you some of the best points of this philosophy so you can use them in your plans as well. First though, a brief introduction on what “Getting Things Done” is.
After looking around and getting my hands on every course, book or program that crosses my way, I have come to realize that there are but a few really integral solutions in the matter of developing and executing a personal development plan.
One of those, the best in my opinion, is “Getting Things Done“, by David Allen. I consider “Getting Things Done”, or GTD for short, an integral solution because it guides you through the whole process, from Organizing, to Planning, to Execution. You can start from being completely lost and without knowing what to do, and end up with a well structured, clearly organized and prioritized action list that will make taking action as easy as it can ever be.
Regarding personal development plans, GTD has many strong points that make it the obvious choice. It covers project management in depth, a vital skill since personal development is one f the biggest projects in your life. It also covers time and life management, something particularly useful when it comes to taking the plan into action. Probably the best point is its task prioritizing aspect, which leads to better, more flexible plans that do not crumble at the first sight of trouble.
Besides personal development plans, GTD also helps you build the skills necessary for better managing work projects, better goal setting and better people management. These are all very important skills, whether you are an employee, a home business owner or an executive at a Fortune 500 company.
The points I want to share with you today are simple yet very effective when it comes to proper planning. These are two questions that you should ask yourself, and answer every time you are about to plan or do something. First, what is the outcome? Second, what is the next action required?
“What is the outcome?” is a the most important question you can ask yourself in almost any situation. It is a question common in all the teachings of the major gurus from Napoleon Hill and Earl Nightingale, to David Allen, Brian Tracy, Dan Kennedy and Tony Robbins. It is just that important.
If you do not know the outcome for your actions, you have lost from the start, period. Getting clear on your outcome will be one of the best things you can do at any given moment.
“What is the next action?” is just as important when planning something. Many times I have seen people who have found their clear outcome, yet are completely lost on where to start taking action about it. Knowing what to do next in order to move the plan forward is absolutely necessary.
The most important factor to consider here is that the next action has to be completely thought through. This is, it shall not require further consideration upon execution. When the rubber meets the road, if you need to stop and think, you will be run over. You need to have thought before.
If you master these two questions and apply them to your plans and to your life, you will see, not only your productivity, but your effectiveness as well, skyrocket into the stratosphere.
Take some time to reflect upon these two questions and decide to start applying them today!
Daydream Your Way to Success
Posted by Job Self in Goal Setting, Personal Development on July 8th, 2009
Daydream by whatmegsaid
Sometime in our life, we are thrust into situations that require us to rethink our old views. Perhaps we have been working towards our goals for too long without success. Perhaps we start thinking that happiness is just beyond our reach in this life. The situation that we are in might have been generated by our own selves, or it might not. It might be something that we think is out of our control.
In the views of the advocates of self transformation, nothing is out of our control. Nothing happens in the world around us that is not generated by ourselves, our own actions and our own thoughts. The positive side of this philosophy is that, once we become aware of this, we can change the negative situation into more positive ones. However, it is all well to talk about changes but the journey into self transformation needs a personal development plan. This would entail a structure of schedules and activities to reach the goals that we have set for ourselves. In this kind of plan, a method of creative visualization is one of the personal development tools in use.
Creative visualization is more than what it would seem at first. Imagining and daydreaming about something is not merely enjoyed for its own end. Creative visualization is a form of structured daydreaming. It is about focusing our minds on a dream with a set purpose in mind. When used with a personal development plan, this tool for self transformation can be used to change not only ourselves for the better, but also to improve the things and situations around us. It would sound improbable at first glance, but athletes have been using this technique of creative visualization as part of a training regimen. Mental readiness for success is then achieved. This tool of creative visualization is said to attract positive energy. As a person starts thinking positive, the good vibes around the universe are attracted to him or her. This is what makes us succeed in our goals, achieve happiness in our lives, and change our situation for the better. It is similar in principle to what has been said about the power of positive thinking.
In this light, a personal development plan can be effectively used to achieve any goal. It could be about a personal quest for self fulfillment, or success in the workplace. The plan could also be for specific goals such as getting an ace in an upcoming test, getting the job we are set on, even for winning a contest. Moreover, anybody in the world can apply this method of creative visualization. Young or old, rich or poor, fat or thin, it doesn’t matter. It is a simple tool that is available to everyone. Students studying for an exam can visualize a perfect score, businessmen can visualize the perfect deal, athletes can visualize that winning moment as if it was happening right at that moment. Using this powerful technique together with a personal development plan can achieve powerful results.
Note: Remember to check out the new email course (on the right) for more personal development goodies!