My 2018 vision, is of a happily married dynamic businesswoman who makes good money and lives in a beautiful house with a tranquil garden. And my mission is to entertain and share my wisdom by writing prolifically, and publishing widely. Now it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of 2018 planning.

2018 Planning

The virtues I chose for this year are:

• Wise: possibly most important; street smart but flexible and adaptable, dreaming up new ideas for dealing with difficult situations.
• Energy/Positivity: taking care of physical and mental health to maximise my ability to achieve my goals.
• Focus/Discipline: doing one thing at a time, balancing my workload, and managing my time and energy so I get the right things done at the right time.
• Friendship: open and honest in my dealings with others.
• Prosperity: making money, but valuing time and health.

Now it’s time to come up with some goals to develop them and come closer to my vision.

Wisdom

My focus on wisdom dates back to the start of this blog in 2014, and initially, it was about becoming a more complex person by developing my mental capacities. 2017’s focus was Growth (reading books and attending culturally significant places and events).

I’m not exactly sure what kind of goal you can set for developing innovation and flexibility, but my preliminary research for Life in the Great Depression suggests that a broad base of knowledge and the ability to apply key concepts to new areas is important. A bit like this post’s picture of a ventilation system that apparently it lets in fresh air without the dirt (it’s a covered window).

So perhaps reading widely and learning new and interesting facts is still the way to go: I learn and grow every day.

Energy

Energy is the new focus for wellness. It’s not about Beauty anymore, it’s about having the capacity to make things happen. And that takes me back to eating, moving, and sleeping for maximum wellness, along with that medically suggested weight goal. Thus we again start from where we left off last year: I enjoy exercising my lean, healthy 59 kg body several times a week.

And I still want Command Presence, so there’s an element of building the kind of practical and workable wardrobe a dynamic businesswoman in a creative field would wear. Which, in a circuitous route takes me back to the beginnings of my journey and of Build Your Signature Wardrobe. The same wardrobe principles apply, it’s just introducing more movement into my style with patterned clothing. And just like that, we get: plan a more energetic wardrobe.

Focus

Focus is probably more about business and productivity than anything else, so this is where my business development goals go. Like last year, I’m not exactly sure what to include under this banner, but when I think about it, my business has four key elements:

1. Writing books
2. Packaging books (formatting and covering the contents)
3. Marketing books (letting readers and bookstores know the books are there)
4. Running the business (executive, administrative, and financial functions)

The only one of those that I really don’t have a handle on is the marketing, though it wouldn’t hurt to develop my writing skills further.

So the sensible thing to do is to learn more about marketing and writing, which takes me back to 2017’s original goals of selecting and attending a conference or course or event on writing, marketing, and business (though not necessarily the same event).

As well as learning and developing skill, actually doing the business needs focus too. Without going into detail, let’s just say that 2018 planning involves sticking to the production schedule so far as possible.

While money is a component of Prosperity, my money comes from my business, so income is moving into focus, but my goal remains at least $1,000 per month.

Friendship

I’ve described a dynamic businesswoman’s version of friendship here as being open and honest, which is in keeping with the original formulation of trusting and treating other beings the way I want to be treated. 2017’s version of cultivating new and maintaining existing relationships is also still valid in this context, so I’m going to carry the revised affirmations forward:

• I love meeting new people, and as I am friendly and outgoing, I make friends easily.
• I share my knowledge, time, and money with those who need it.

Prosperity

This one is broadening wealth back out to include some of the elements of one of my original values: the Perception of Prosperity and in keeping with Holistic Personal Finance, it focuses on leisure (time) as well as money. It also brings in the elements of another of my original values a Happy Household, with a focus on the beautiful home with the tranquil garden, and the creatures who live within it.

Leisure is the stuff that happens outside of work. In 2017 that was adventure and recharge. Recharging calls to mind energy with its focus on physical and mental wellbeing, as well as reconnecting with friends. I’m inclined to start the year without that element and focus on adventures, and I’ll go back to planning and doing something new each month.

My house and garden plans for 2017 were to develop and implement improvement plans. Both elements included provision for creatures, so I think all of this can be rolled back into one household goal. And the vision of a beautiful house with a tranquil garden can be supplemented by happy and healthy creatures find my garden a haven into an overarching goal statement.

2018 Implementation

There’s a lot that’s the same as 2017, but with a slightly different tilt towards my new vision. It’s enough to excite me and get me on the way to becoming that dynamic businesswoman.

Are your plans for 2018 complete? Care to share any of the detail?

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You see more about it at the Project Worthwhile Life page.