On Resolutions and Goals…

Barb — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 02:05:13 +0000

I was never one for making resolutions; in fact, when we asked one another what resolutions we had set for the new year, I often found myself staring blankly or making up something unrealistic on the spot. And to this day, I find resolutions to be a complete waste of time.

What I find to be productive, though, is goal setting. While you may be thinking that I have lost my mind and that they are so similar, goals and resolutions are actually quite different. Most of the time, we can associate resolutions with them being extremely long term goals that are usually made at the advent of a new year. Goals, though, are a much more broad term – they not only encompass the concept that resolutions embody, but also are far more realistic and attainable. But that’s only if you set them right.

Set a time line for your goals; divide them into what you will achieve within certain time frames (such as one month, six months, and one year). By doing so, you are motivating yourself and setting deadlines for when you will complete a task or achieve something. In addition to setting time frames, be sure to divide your goals and strive for balance. Far too often may you find yourself concentrating your goals all in one particular aspect of your life (e.g. in my case, I focus a lot on my career) and neglect the others (i.e. personal and health goals). Be sure to spread out your goals. And lastly, write down the goals you have set yourself. You’ve heard it so many times: those that write down their goals are far more likely to succeed in achieving them. Think about it: if you write them down, there’s visible documentation of your thoughts, which will make you more inclined to want to do them, especially if you can see them on a frequent basis (e.g. I keep mine on a bulletin board by my computer).

School’s Out! But You’re Not Done Learning

Barb — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:29:41 +0000

Last week, I sat down with Ellen East, EVP of Time Warner Cable, to gain perspective on a couple of things. And while I could easily type up the gist of our conversation and title this entry as “Interview with Time Warner Cable’s Ellen East,” I think there’s more to be had than just a Q&A session. In fact, there’s a whole lesson to be learned: one which not only humbles but also spotlights experience.

While discussing her work in journalism, Ellen made an interesting statement: she would make a much better journalist now if she returned to the field in spite of not having being in the industry for two decades. When she made that remark, though, I didn’t follow her. So Ellen explained to me that “as a reporter, you only see a slice.” And with that, she gave me a great example.

In the 90s, broadband was considered to be a great development for the telecommunications industry with it being conceptualized and launched in a matter of two years, which was viewed to be incredibly fast by those in the business. The first question, however, that a reporter asked when seeking a quote from Ellen was “what took so long?” Obviously, the reporter could only see from the everyday person’s lens and not place the news in context.

So what was Ellen’s point? Quite simply put: you need to be dynamic. Fresh out of college, you may think that you know the industry just because you’ve had several great internships under your belt. And hey, you’re not to blame. After all, you’re exposed to a lot of new things and information when you’re working, so you may get the impression that you’ve already learned all that is available. Sorry to break it to you, though, there are always more lessons to be learned. So while your view on things may be skewed as you emerge into your career (that’s normal!), keep in mind that all experience and knowledge will greatly assist you in understanding your work on hand and your environment.

The Ability Project » Time

On Resolutions and Goals…

School’s Out! But You’re Not Done Learning