Sunday Night Success

With New year celebrations and family time, I will have a shortened week this week. I also set these actions to be completed by the end of 2009, so Thursday is my deadline as opposed to Sunday:

1. Write coaching reflection for client 1.
2. Write coaching reflection for client 2.
3. Write coaching reflection for client 3.
4. Write coaching reflection for client 4.
5. Contact client 5 to get coaching reflection form.
6. Write coaching reflection for client 5.
7. Complete class schedule.
8. Write self-assessment.
9. Research/take notes for coaching research paper.
10. Write outline for research paper.
11. Write introduction for research paper.
12. Write total behavior explanation for research paper.
13. Write total behavior application for research paper.
14. Write conclusion for research paper.
15. Edit research paper.
16. Write bibliography for research paper.
17. Send all completed written work to coaching school for assessment.
18. Celebrate New Year’s Eve with Ashlea and Fionn.

(From my focus goal pencast earlier in the week I have already completed my powertool and coaching model)

Here are my actions for the week:
1. Make pencast of SNS changes
2. Write “Homepage”
3. Write “Is this you” page
4. Write “How it works” page
5. Write “Last Ditch” page
6. Write “About” page
7. Write “Sign up” page
8. Write “Contact” page
9. Write “Archives” page
10. Write Power Tool
11. Edit Coaching Model
12. Edit Power Tool

Check back Sunday for an update on “working my list to zero”.

Nine of twenty-one:
1. Make pencast of SNS changes – Incomplete.
2. Write “Homepage” – Incomplete.
3. Write “Is this you” page – Incomplete.
4. Write “How it works” page – Incomplete.
5. Write “Last Ditch” page – Incomplete.
6. Write “About” page – Incomplete.
7. Write “Sign up” page – Incomplete.
8. Write “Contact” page – Incomplete.
9. Write “Archives” page – Incomplete.
10. Write Power Tool – Incomplete.
11. Edit Coaching Model – Incomplete.
12. Edit Power Tool – Incomplete.
13. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete.
14. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete.
15. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete.
16. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete.
17. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete.
18. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete.
19. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete.
20. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete.
21. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete.

NaNoWriMo is complete

A huge accomplishment for me this week as I have completed 50000 words in 30 days for the NaNoWriMo challenge. In the end the challenge had its ups and downs.

On the down side it ended up consuming my November and I didn’t get a lot of other writing tasks completed. I have some major catch-up to do in December. Should be fun!

On the up side I met some great people virtually (and a few in person) in my Spokane NaNoWriMo group. This group is discussing working together on our novels the year round instead of just in November. This is great as my novel is a bit of a mess, still incomplete, and needs a lot of TLC.

Working to zero

Next week’s action list will consist of everything I haven’t completed this week as I continue to work my list to zero. So far the experiment has been successful as I have finished my NaNoWriMo commitment. Now my focus shifts to the writing I need to complete in order to graduate from my coaching program, and the writing I need to complete for my coaching website.

Stay tuned to see how I do.

Here are my actions for the week:
1. Make pencast of SNS changes
2. Write “Homepage”
3. Write “Is this you” page
4. Write “How it works” page
5. Write “Last Ditch” page
6. Write “About” page
7. Write “Sign up” page
8. Write “Contact” page
9. Write “Archives” page
10. Write Power Tool
11. Edit Coaching Model
12. Edit Power Tool
13. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
14. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
15. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
16. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
17. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
18. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
19. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
20. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
21. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo

Check back Sunday to see how working my list to zero is going.

I managed to move my list closer to zero by

1. Make pencast of SNS changes – Incomplete.
2. Write “Homepage” – Incomplete
3. Write “Is this you” page – Incomplete
4. Write “How it works” page – Incomplete
5. Write “Last Ditch” page – Incomplete
6. Write “About” page – Incomplete
7. Write “Sign up” page – Incomplete
8. Write “Contact” page – Incomplete
9. Write “Archives” page – Incomplete
10. Write Power Tool – Incomplete
11. Reorganize goals for end of year – Complete
12. Edit Coaching Model – Incomplete
13. Edit Power Tool – Incomplete
14. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
15. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
16. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
17. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
18. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
19. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
20. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
21. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
22. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
23. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Complete
24. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Incomplete
25. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Incomplete
26. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Incomplete
27. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Incomplete
28. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Incomplete
29. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Incomplete
30. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Incomplete
31. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Incomplete
32. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo – Incomplete

Focus on writing – NaNoWriMo

Although I put a number of different writing tasks on my current action list in an attempt to work the list to zero I wasn’t really planning on getting to most of them this past week. I knew ahead of time that I had fallen behind on my National Novel Writing Month challenge and was going to need to catch up.

So, I managed to sneak a couple other tasks into my week, but the main focus was on increasing my NaNoWriMo word count so that I would at the challenge.

20000 words in a week

I am happy with the outcome: I have never written 20000 words about the same topic in one week before, including seven thousand words in one sitting during a Spokane virtual write-in. I am still about 3000 words behind but that is a far cry from how far behind I was earlier this week.

The upcoming week will probably be focused on NaNoWriMo once again as it is the last week of the challenge and my 50000 word milestone is only a handful of days away. After that my focus will change to the other writing tasks I have put on my list.

Here are my actions for the week:
1. Make pencast of SNS changes
2. Write “Homepage”
3. Write “Is this you” page
4. Write “How it works” page
5. Write “Last Ditch” page
6. Write “About” page
7. Write “Sign up” page
8. Write “Contact” page
9. Write “Archives” page
10. Write Power Tool
11. Reorganize goals for end of year
12. Edit Coaching Model
13. Edit Power Tool
14. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
15. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
16. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
17. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
18. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
19. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
20. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
21. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
22. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
23. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
24. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
25. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
26. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
27. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
28. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
29. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
30. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
31. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo
32. Write 2000 words for NaNoWriMo

Experimental list

This week, and for the rest of November, I am going to be experimenting with a different approach to my action list. This new list has a strong theme: it is all about my writing tasks that need to get done. I need to get some major movement with my writing and to do this I have decided to focus on nothing but writing for the rest of this month.

I am also going to try something completely new: I am going to work this list to zero. Check back Wednesday when I talk about this concept and why I think it is going to work.

Ten of twenty-one:
1. Investigate mailchimp – Complete.
2. Work with Dad on Blog theme – Complete.
3. Plan out SNS changes – Complete.
4. Make pencast of SNS changes – Incomplete.
5. Change coach website to subdirectory – Complete.
6. Point URL to new “under construction” coaching site – Complete.
7. Download Ecto trial – Complete.
8. Download Fastpencil documents into Writeroom – Complete.
9. Pack business necessities for Calgary trip – Complete.
10. Write 30 minutes 7 times for NaNoWriMo – Complete.
11. Write “Homepage” – Incomplete.
12. Write “Is this you” page – Incomplete.
13. Write “How it works” page – Incomplete.
14. Write “Last Ditch” page – Incomplete.
15. Write “About” page – Incomplete.
16. Write “Sign up” page – Incomplete.
17. Write “Contact” page – Incomplete.
18. Write “Archives” page – Incomplete.
19. Write Coaching Model – Complete.
20. Write Power Tool – Incomplete.
21. Reorganize goals for end of year – Incomplete.

Lacking the list

This week didn’t go so well. For the first time in a long time, a really long time, I didn’t make half of my list. The reason? I think, upon relfection, there are a few, but the biggest one by far was I ended up without internet for the middle of the week. Not only did I not have internet, but I did not activate my Google Gears properly so was without my list for all of those days.

Without my list, which I normally check on a daily basis, I ended up a bit lost with what I was doing. In fact, it was not until today when I had a chance to look at my list again, that I even remembered a couple of the items I had on my list. By not being able to do my daily check I fell out of my normal process and things came to a bit of a grinding halt.

Action list as an environment

This is an excellent example of how effort is just not enough for achieving success. My effort alone allowed me to get ten items completed on my weekly list, but after that, I lost focus. When I have my action list at hand, and I start to lose focus, I don’t need to spend any time or energy trying to figure out what to do next. I open my list and I am instantly back on track. My weekly action list supports me in being successful by keeping my mind clear and focused.

Has my list become too important to my success or is it still the supportive environment I think it is? I would love to hear what you think.

Here are my actions for the week:
1. Investigate mailchimp
2. Work with Dad on Blog theme
3. Plan out SNS changes
4. Make pencast of SNS changes
5. Change coach website to subdirectory
6. Point URL to new “under construction” coaching site
7. Download Ecto trial
8. Download Fastpencil documents into Writeroom
9. Pack business necessities for Calgary trip
10. Write 30 minutes 7 times for NaNoWriMo
11. Write “Homepage”
12. Write “Is this you” page
13. Write “How it works” page
14. Write “Last Ditch” page
15. Write “About” page
16. Write “Sign up” page
17. Write “Contact” page
18. Write “Archives” page
19. Write Coaching Model
20. Write Power Tool
21. Reorganize goals for end of year

Check back on Sunday to see how I did.

Eighteen of twenty-six:
1. Write refund policy for workshops – incomplete. Off list.
2. Plan out SNS changes – incomplete.
3. Make pencast of SNS changes as example of action planning – incomplete.
4. Pay for Thesis developer’s license – complete.
5. Download Thesis 1.6 – complete.
6. Watch Thesis 1.6 tutorial video – complete.
7. Download grunge theme for Dad – incomplete.
8. Change Dad’s blog to grunge theme – incomplete.
9. Change coaching website to new folder – complete. (Didn’t work)
10. Make new folder for main coaching site – complete.
11. Upload Thesis 1.6 into new folder – complete.
12. Backup Sunday Night Success – complete.
13. Load SNS backup onto MAMP – complete.
14. Play with SNS and thesis 1.6 options – complete.
15. Download Straightshooter theme – complete.
16. Play with SNS and Straightshooter theme – incomplete.
17. Business Academy: write self story – complete.
18. Business Academy: write 7 yeses – complete.
19. Write message for NaNoWriMo forum – complete.
20. Post message for NaNoWriMo on forum – complete.
21. Write 30 min 7 times for NaNoWriMo – complete.
22. Download Elluminate trial – complete.
23. Experiment with Elluminate – complete.
24. Take bike racks off roof – incomplete.
25. Try Shambhala meditation for 15 minutes 5 times – incomplete.
26. Call Telus and change long distance plan – complete.

Off the list

For the second week in a row I did not write my refund policy for future workshops. While reflecting on the fact that I missed this for the second week in a row I decided that, at this point, I have other much larger priorities, and this action needed to be taken off of my weekly list and put on my braindump list. It will return later, but for now it is just a distraction on my weekly action list that is not going to get done.

Didn’t work

I spent quite a bit of time trying to switch my current coaching website to a subdirectory. It didn’t work, and nothing I tried worked. However, I am marking this as complete as I put in the effort, tried everything I could think of doing, then sent a message to others who may be able to figure out what is going wrong. Even though my coaching site is not in a subdirectory I did my best to complete this action and, in fact, did complete the action. It just didn’t work.

I am marking it as complete because the purpose of my action list is to support me during my week, so I see no need in beating myself up because the action I took didn’t work. By marking the action as complete it is a success and I can still use the energy of that success to build momentum going into next week.

Re-strategizing

One thing I did learn about myself this week is that I am getting a little muddled in my weekly action lists. I think this is mostly because my overall goals and actions have been adapting so much lately that I am not fully clear on where I am trying to get before the end of the year.

This upcoming week I am going to spend some time with my vision and my goals and try to regain clarity on where I am headed before the end of 2009. Not only will this help me stay focused for the rest of this year, but it will better prepare me for creating my big goals for 2010.

Have you revisited your vision and goals lately? Do you know if you are still on track?

Here are my actions for the week:
1. Write refund policy for workshops
2. Plan out SNS changes
3. Make pencast of SNS changes as example of action planning
4. Pay for Thesis developer’s license
5. Download Thesis 1.6
6. Watch Thesis 1.6 tutorial video
7. Download grunge theme for Dad
8. Change Dad’s blog to grunge theme
9. Change coaching website to new folder
10. Make new folder for main coaching site
11. Upload Thesis 1.6 into new folder
12. Backup Sunday Night Success
13. Load SNS backup onto MAMP
14. Play with SNS and thesis 1.6 options
15. Download Straightshooter theme
16. Play with SNS and Straightshooter theme
17. Business Academy: write self story
18. Business Academy: write 7 yeses
19. Write message for NaNoWriMo forum
20. Post message for NaNoWriMo on forum
21. Write 30 min 7 times for NaNoWriMo
22. Download Elluminate trial
23. Experiment with Elluminate
24. Take bike racks off roof
25. Try Shambhala meditation for 15 minutes 5 times
26. Call Telus and change long distance plan

Check back Sunday to see how I did.