Helpful Ideas and Resources

(HSP – Highly Sensitive Person, a term from late 90s research from Elaine Aron – go here for an HSP self test – aka
Sensory Processing Sensitivity)

For much of my work life I have studied productivity ideas. I have reigned in procrastination and have tools to minimize derails these days. However, I am no GTD disciple, or Trello convert. Since I’m a solopreneur, I don’t have to coordinate with a team as often. I continue to grow my planning muscles after underperforming in this zone. I do enjoy learning new hacks or reading about this area. The biggest reason beside nerdiness is that I wish to make the most of my life. You too? Read on.

Let’s say, I’ve learned to trust myself. I have always done a year-end evaluation of sorts, examined what went well and what was still missing, and then set New Year goals. But this wasn’t a rigid map and I didn’t always check back regularly on how things were going during the year. I would check back now and then. I would often add more time to goals, because I often would underestimate how long they would take. But progress would happen…

Even with all these faux pas and obvious productivity sins, I would often be surprised by how many goals came into being. I think this was due to a few things.

  • Honest evaluation of the past, and what was needed next
  • Aiming myself truly toward what matters most and being willing to grow and challenge myself
  • Staying with my spirituality practices, and wishing to be in service and make a difference
  • Daily sanity practices that help me minimize thought and mood derails and stay in touch with the changing inner landscape (meditation, journaling, exercise/fitness work, writing/creativity practices, community). (And oh yeah, I wrote a book on these classic mental health tools that help go to what’s really going on under derails…)

There is another important thing I learned from Mark Silver of heartofbusiness.com and that was to run goals by my heart. This is a concept that’s underlined by my training in trauma informed hypnotherapy which teaches that while you have a logical side of the brain (which often leads your goal setting), you also have what’s called the emotional brain. This is often left out of goal setting, but it’s important to include this side of your intelligence.

TRY THIS METHOD:

If you’d like to work with more holistic goal setting that uses all of your brain (and heart) in this way, try the following steps. After step two of naming your goals, use the below audio to first get centered, and then to examine your goals from a place where your logical and emotional brain (mind and heart) are present.

  1. Look at your past efforts/goals – you can use the Post Event Summary to take stock in a balanced, honest way.
  2. Name your next goals – for the year, the next month or quarter, or perhaps one important life area.
  3. Use the audio below to run these goals by your emotional brain to get the buy-in of your full Self.

Audio for emotional and logical brain view of goals.
Audio for energy work with your goals (“mock ups”)

ADDITIONAL GOAL SETTING RESOURCES AND FOOD FOR THOUGHT


From the Soul Savvy library:

The Post Event Summary – this fill-in PDF helps by taking stock of a year, or a quarter, or a big event. It gives you a broader perspective and offers some pushback to that critical tendency to overfocus on the flaws or less great outcomes of your efforts.
Remember Persian Rug creation – where a flaw is purposefully left in the beautiful rug! Great idea to stay humble. And helpful to recognize and return to the amazing step of trying something, experimenting, and following your own creative direction. Perfection ain’t the point! Moving along on your growth path and mission is what’s most relevant.

Sacred Space Planning worksheet – Use this to list your goals for the year, and answer some deeper questions about your goals and intentions.

Learning to Say No – A lot of progress and productivity is helped by staying true to your goals. For that, you often need to say no to invitations and other people’s wishes. This worksheet helps you with different ways to Say No Gracefully.

Other – Food for Thought

The Cure for Loneliness – Simon Sinek interviews Surgeon General Vivek Murthy – Both share amazing personal stories about working on their purpose. I love how Murthy differentiates the importance of wealth areas (power, fame, money) versus spiritual fitness (service, purpose, connection). People on their death beds don’t talk about their bank accounts. Hear why it’s better to invite someone to your house (with all the chaos and imperfect state of cleanliness) than go out to dinner.