Your 30 Day Challenge by Janice Kobelsky

This months guest blog is by the amazing Janice Kobelsky. Hope you enjoy the post and take up your own 30 Day Challenge. :)


Better life. Better leadership. A better world. Enjoy today's thoughts & take-aways.                                                                   
What you do daily is a powerful indicator of your primary values. And where you focus -- over time -- drives your lifetime performance and feeling of achievement. Reality, though, is that too often we just don't stop to think about where our time and attention are going.

So this issue of the Leader's Digest is a practice of renewal. It's a chance to refresh and reconnect with what truly matters, to you. Fresh focus, to initiate new beginnings.

To help you make April count! Your Meaningful Vision, Fulfilled.

“Make something happen that wasn’t going to happen anyway.” -Unknown

Do it for yourself. And... or... do it with those who look to you for guidance or influence. It's good leadership.

2 Easy Steps
First, I'm sharing a quick but pretty profound practice, to help you get clear (or clearer) on priority. It’ll help you (re-)focus on what’s important. It's repeatable, too.
Then, since April has 30 days, it’s a perfect time to complete a 30-day challenge, don’t you think? It’s not ‘my’ challenge or agenda. It’s choosing YOURS. It’s a wonderful way to make every day count this month – AND to “make something happen that wasn’t going to happen anyway.”

So, get started. Have fun. Make it great. It’s a wonderful way to energize possibilities and be a contribution.​
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Here it is: a 2-step framework, a simple practice, to make the most of your time and life.

1. Focus on what’s important
Performance does not reside in end results; it happens in ensuring that every act is a result in itself. It starts with being mindful of where you're putting your attention and focus.
Begin by considering seven dimensions of life. Think of them as inner drivers that we each experience (consciously or unconsciously). All the time.

7 Dimensions of Life·      

​.  Spirit/Joy: this means inner enthusiasm. Your attitude and vibe. Your sense of connectedness to something greater than you. Irrespective and independent of religion or belief systems, spirit is that animating force we all have; who we are ‘at source’. It is your intangible wellbeing.

·       Talent Development: refers to our human desire to grow, to learn, to try new things. Whether formal or informal, talent development is about immersing in change and evolution.

·       Career/Vocation: is about your ‘work’ – whether paid or unpaid, formal or hobby. It's your contribution in the world. This is a dimension that is often splintered into what we do for money vs. what we do as an expression. Those who are able to reconcile the two often say, “When you do what you love, you never work another day in your life.”

·       Finances & Wealth: is about financial wellbeing. It's the attention paid to how much wealth you have and how well you're managing it.

·       Family: does not necessarily mean blood relatives. Instead this refers to your inner circle – your family, your ‘tribe’, those who are your family of choice.

·       Community/Circles of Influence: refers to your connections and friendships. It includes your extended reach or community. This could be in-person and/or virtual.

·       Health & Wellbeing: is your tangible wellbeing: your physical health, wellness and beauty.
​
While we may put different labels to them (or we may wish to split some into subparts), the 7 dimensions pertain to us all. The following illustration shows that all 7 are in play – always; all the time. It is a circle.

While all 7 dimensions are in play all the time, what shifts is the priority that we give to them. This is how you discern which one or ones, and to what degree, are consuming your time, energy, money, and resources. Your focus.

Rank Them

​So the practice is to consider each dimension and then conduct 2 rankings:

·       Your Focus Now: First, get clear on how much of your 'life' you are currently giving to each dimension. Don't look at what you 'wish' or 'intend'. Instead, consider how much actual time, money, energy and focus you really are giving to each. Put a dot on the scale where most appropriate: 1=low is nearest the centre of the circle and 5 =high is nearest the rim. And, you can repeat rankings. In other words you can have several dimensions ranking low and several ranking high.
·       Your Desired Focus: Next, using the same scale and an "x" instead of a dot, re-rank based on your preferred aim. That is, how much time, energy, money and/or focus do you wish to have in each area? 

Stop 'Shouldn'g' & Start Choosing

Is there a deviation between where you wish to put your focus and where you do? If so, this is the ‘should’ that is eating away at your life. It doesn't matter why, or the source of the 'should'. You're now in a position to either choose it or change it.

If, on the other hand, alignment is satisfying, then look at where you'd like to level up. Where and how would you like to energize even more potential and possibility?
Either way, you're now ready to consider the 30-day challenge. 
 
2. You can do anything for just 30 daysAs you consider your rankings, think of something you've always meant to do, wanted to do, but just ... haven't, or aren't. Matt Cutts suggests: Do it. Try it for 30 days. Watch his 3-minute TED talk: Try Something New for 30 Days.

https://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days

Now start.
Think of something you've always wanted to add, subtract or do differently to shift your focus. It could be in one or it may affect several of the dimensions of life. Think of what you'd like to, have intended to, but for whatever reason, you haven't -- or aren't -- putting the time and energy to it. And, this April, do it.

The next 30 days are going to pass, whether you're deliberate and present, or not. So... why not take up this challenge to do something that's meaningful to you?
It's up to you. Your time. Your life. As Matt Cutts says,

"You can do anything for 30 days." and..."Small = SUSTAINABLE"

Choose something that matters. Do it for 30 days. Make it stick.

Download Free PDF: 7 Dimensions Worksheet w/ Link to 30-day Challenge

I'll check in with you in the next Leader's Digest, mid-month, with a couple of resources to help you avoid distractions and stay inspired.

Start, start, start... Make April rule!


Janice Kobelsky - Your Meaningful Vision, Fulfilled.

Energizing people, possibilities and potential.
 
Tap here to visit my 'Think Anew' Centre. Or, drop in on my Blog. There's always something there to engage, motivate and inspire you. Please share my posts with your friends. You'll be helping me fulfill my purpose when you do!

https://janicekobelsky.mykajabi.com/blog