Sunday Night Success

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.

Eighteen out of twenty:
1. Workshop: write instructions for weekly action planning – Complete.
2. Workshop: write instructions for accountability calls – not needed.
3. Workshop: write foundations as filters – complete.
4. Workshop: print out receipts for workshop participants – Complete.
5. Workshop: print/photocopy workshop heft – Complete.
6. Workshop: print/photocopy workshop agenda – Complete.
7. Workshop: organize workshop heft into folders – Complete.
8. Workshop: One page agenda for participants – Complete.
9. Workshop: attach business cards to folders – Complete.
10. Workshop: write out final lesson plan – Complete.
11. Workshop: investigate recording using bluetooth headset – Complete.
12. Find time with Jason and Vicky to talk SNS – Complete.
13. Test freeconferencecall.com bridge line – Complete.
14. Write refund policy for workshops – Incomplete.
15. Write teleclass instructions for workshop phonecalls – Complete.
16. Send out workshop email with a challenge for the week – Complete.
17. Figure out schedule for one-on-one workshop sessions – Complete.
18. Plan out SNS changes – Incomplete.
19. Apply for coaching job – Complete.
20. Talk with Dad about brokebikealley.com – Complete.

Nineteen out of twenty:
1. Edit guest post for WhenIgrowup – complete.
2. Send guest post to WhenIgrowup – complete.
3. Buy trifold paper for workshop – complete.
4. Buy markers for workshop – complete.
5. Send out workshop email – complete.
6. Write pre-workshop assessment: five questions – complete.
7. Workshop: Write out SMART goal setting instructions – complete.
8. Workshop: Write out steps to creating action paths – complete.
9. Workshop: Write out backward action planning steps -complete.
10. Workshop: Write out forward action planning steps – complete.
11. Workshop: Write out instructions for accountability calls – incomplete.
12. Workshop: Write out instructions to creating action themes – not needed.
13. Workshop: write out instructions for “brain dump” and creating a master list – complete.
14. Workshop: write out final lesson plan for workshop – incomplete.
15. Workshop: complete core values edits – complete.
16. Business academy: review welcome pack – complete.
17. Business academy: write welcome pack – complete.
18. Business academy: write coaching agreement letter – complete.
19. Business academy: complete self reflection – complete.
20. Carry out strategy session with client. – complete.
21. Carry out strategy session with client. – complete.

Here are my actions for the week:

1. Edit guest post for WhenIgrowup
2. Send guest post to WhenIgrowup
3. Buy trifold paper for workshop
4. Buy markers for workshop
5. Send out workshop email
6. Write pre-workshop assessment: five questions
7. Workshop: Write out SMART goal setting instructions
8. Workshop: Write out steps to creating action paths
9. Workshop: Write out backward action planning steps
10. Workshop: Write out forward action planning steps
11. Workshop: Write out instructions for accountability calls
12. Workshop: Write out instructions to creating action themes
13. Workshop: write out instructions for “brain dump” and creating a master list
14. Workshop: write out final lesson plan for workshop
15. Workshop: complete core values edits
16. Business academy: review welcome pack
17. Business academy: write welcome pack
18. Business academy: write coaching agreement letter
19. Business academy: complete self reflection
20. Carry out strategy session with client.
21. Carry out strategy session with client.

Check back Sunday to see how I did.

Here are my actions for the week:
1. Decide on business card changes
2. Contact HLF about business card changes
3. Blog indexing 1
4. Blog indexing 2
5. Blog indexing 3
6. Blog indexing 4
7. Blog indexing 5
8. Write promotional questions for Fernie workshop
9. Write marketing page for Fernie workshop
10. Write product page for coaching site
11. Call for EDTF interview
12. Complete EDTF interview
13. Edit network letter
14. Send out network letter
15. Contact each person in network re: letter
16. Complete Exploratory Session playbook
17. Write single page exploratory session document

Bigger action list than expected

My original intent was to keep my list fairly short this week. However, I am currently taking a business building course on Monday nights and the last five actions on my list arose from that course. I could have taken five of my other actions off of my list, but decided that I would push myself and try to complete my full, newly extended list.

Check back Sunday to see how it went.

Eleven out of twelve:
1. Make special paypal page for client – Complete.
2. Fix 100 Day Dad Challenge welcome email- Complete.
3. Fix 100 Day Dad Challenge email #1 – Complete.
4. Call Aweber about phishing problem – Complete.
5. Research Magic Jack free conferencing service – Complete.
6. Write networking letter for business academy – Complete.
7. Write exploratory session format for business academy – Complete.
8. Define network top 20 for business academy – Complete.
9. Write out key phrases for coaching introduction – Complete.
10. Research how to get testimonials – Complete.
11. Write testimonial questions – Complete.
12. EDTF interview – Incomplete.

Smaller list, less motivation

I have been working off of some fairly large lists lately and getting a lot of forward movement with my goals. This past week I decided to give myself a break and work off a smaller list, a bit of a vacation. Interestingly, my week turned out to be far more difficult than I had imagined. I did end up getting all but one of my actions completed, but a lot of the actions were completed last minute.

Trick of the mind

I think one reason getting only twelve actions completed instead of twenty or thirty was so challenging is because my list was so short. Each day, when I checked my list and saw how few actions were present I ended up putting things off for later: “there are only twelve things to do this week, I have lots of time to get them done”. I tricked myself into thinking a shorter list would take less time, and be easier to complete, and ended up procrastinating more than I usually do.

What length of list?

This will be very personal for every person as they create their action list for the week. For me, I am going to try a shorter list again this upcoming week to see if last week was just an anomaly. If I have trouble again I am going to switch back to much longer lists and remind myself that my goal for the week is to finish at least half of that long list, not the whole thing.

Having trouble coming up with actions for your weekly list? Check out this weeks post on “Brain dumps” and see if it helps.