From Filofax to Full Focus: My Organizational Evolution
Ever since I began working in an office, I have maintained an organizational system, whether it was paper or electronic. The first was the “OG” the Filofax, at some point I transitioned to the 3x5 card method, where I had the cards clipped to my belt and with me all the time, just in case I needed to whip one out and jot down a thought or task. Then came the electronic Franklin Planner. The trickiest thing with that one was that you could not expose it to anything with a magnetic field, or POOF, all your data was gone. Later on, came the Palm Pilot, the Handspring Visor – I loved them all.
These tools were typically used for notes, calendars, and tasks. But for the last 8-10 years, I have been somewhat known for carrying a possibly large, leather-bound book of shadows-looking journal. It is what has inspired me for several years.
As I have moved into the next phase of my life, building my own teaching/coaching business, I find myself in a very different space, wondering where I am going and what my plan is to get there.
This January, Marla, Christina, and I got together to lay out our plan for 2024. They both came with their fitness, business, and personal growth goals, while I came with my calendar marked with my 2024 Workshop dates and several things I wanted to focus on in 2024; there were no “goals.” For the last 4 years or so, I have been setting intentions, manifesting, and focusing on my emotions. This has been a great journey; I have grown and changed so much, and that was my focus. In 2024, I want to grow a business, attract clients, and have an impact as a coach in my community; emotions and intentions alone are not going to get me there.
As the end of February rolled in, I canceled a workshop due to low attendance, and I looked at what I had or had not accomplished in the 13 months since I decided to become a coach. Yes, I had been developing the workshop content, I was posting and sharing on social media, yet I do not yet have any 1:1 clients, and the attendance at my workshops is not where it could and should be.
There were tears, sadness, and plenty of self-doubt in the days after I canceled the workshop, and I let myself feel all of those feelings. The one thing I know is that I am not giving up on being a coach/teacher. As the universe does, along came The Life Coach School Podcast (TLCSP), Episode 514 “The Action Audit.” This made me ask: What was I getting done? How long did it take me to write a blog post or create a slide deck for my next workshop? Time was passing, but what did I have to show for it, and how well was I planning my time? Where was I going? This was one of those moments; what do you do now, Lisa?
The first thing was to find the inspiration that I needed and a system to help me stay on track. Of course, I needed a new planner to help make this happen!!
After Googling “the best paper planners,” I came across the Full Focus planner. As you can see from above, I don’t tend to stick with one organizational method; I like to change it up and try the latest and the greatest. After looking at several different reviews and suggestions, the Full Focus Planner stood out; there were videos to jump-start the process, it was simple, and attractive. I was ready to do the exercises in the front of the planner and get clear on where and how I was spending my time. I used the spaces to write out my 10 goals for 2024 and the steps I had to commit to in order to accomplish them. No more wishy-washy floating around wherever my attention and my primitive brain took me during the day; I needed intention and a plan.
As we begin to implement change in our lives, we are going to face the biggest challenge or obstacle of all: our own brain, specifically the amygdala. This is the part of the brain that does its best to keep us safe. Change and doing new things are not safe, as far as it is concerned, and it says, “Are you sure you want to do this?” It makes us doubt ourselves, tries to distract us, and it has so many more tricks up its sleeve.
Every time I sat down with the planner, along came my brain “let’s do this instead.” And I pushed ahead with my planning. This time really feels different; I want to look back and see the progress I have made, and this system is going to be part of it. Planning and committing to doing things in the future helps us keep our amygdala out of the game. When tomorrow comes, you stick to the plan; you do what you said you would, and you do that over and over again. No matter what.
As I was getting on track with what I wanted and needed to do daily to make things happen, along came TLCSP Episode #519, the Big Goal Fun episode. As I have said, setting goals has not been my thing for a long time, but it is time to start creating them. You might say I don’t need a planner or a program to do these things, and that may be true, but that plan has not worked for the last 13 months. So, I have signed up for the Goal workshop promoted in Episode #519.
Personally, I have gone all in on programs before and have accomplished great things. It is time for the next iteration of me. This one is going to include bigger goals than I have reached before, things I have never done before, and there is also a money goal.
Plans and goals are all well and good, but if you do not stick to them, it is all for nothing. My friends and I have scheduled monthly accountability meetings; I am committed to planning my weeks in my planner on Sundays, developing those big goals, and a plan to make them happen.
If you're ready to embark on your own goal journey and would like support and accountability long the way, I encourage you to reach out and schedule a consultation.