Goals as a Blogger

Jim Walton tagged me to share goals I've set to gain success as a blogger. Since I was with family over Easter his challenge simmered on the backburner of my mind. Simmering helped enhance flavors in the pot. Here's the acrostic that resulted...

B uild Community - I hope to find about 50 new blogs with creative and challenging content. To build community I will link to these newbies to show that I value not only their content, but also the presentation. Ellen Weber, Liz Strauss, Mike Wagner, Chris Cree Anna Farmery and Mike Sansone did that for me so my goal is to do that for others, too. The image at the left depicts community as foundational to success in blogging.

L ink to folks, who take time to comment, in a biweekly post. These links show appreciation for others who add to ideas and research!

O pen to ideas and additional research. I want to learn new skills and approaches to increase my acumen as a writer, community builder, researcher and techie.

G row as a techie. I admit this is not my strength, but the good news is that by practice I can grow more dendrite brain cells as I stretch to learn "How to..." For instance, I want to improve by including Videos and Podcasts.

G ain in ranking. My Google ranking is currently "4." And that shows an increase from the beginning of 2007. Thanks to Mack Collier who started the Z-list meme and others who value what I share and provided links to my blog. To raise my rating also means that I must continue to provide good quality content. A great benchmark to work toward is a "6" by next January. Think I can do it?

E nergize readers and myself through thoughtful content and questions. To do that requires staying current with discoveries about the brain and new ideas presented in the arts. I want readers to leave with practical takeaways that make a difference at work.

R evitalize blogroll. I will begin a subscription to create a more meaningful Blogroll so I can recognize more community members. The current one limits my capability to organize by categories and really expand recognition of others. So I'll update. Quite frankly, Jim, you caught me standing still in this area.

Reflection helped me sort through priorites and examine gaps closely. Now I have clear targets to shoot for!

If it's just about me, Jim, this blog would not amount to too much. It is more about good content, and continually learning how to present it in a way that invites readers to share their wisdom, too. And, most of all, to value their wisdom! I'm humbled that you consider me successful. I write to inspire others to tap the rich resources of their brains! And to help them get more of their multiple intelligences up and running in new frameworks.

In addition to me, Jim tagged Old Dude, and Theo Johnston. I will tag SalondeMaria, Marc Rapp at Uniquely the Epitome, Keystrokes Lisa Gates at Scaffolding for Writers and Steli Efti at SuperCool School.

Turtles Challenge Us to Reach Goals

Turtles speed along at 10-12 mph in water or 3-4 mph on land! Surprise you as it did me? We all know the story about the tortoise and the hare in which the hare beats the turtle hands down in reaching the finish line first. Why turtles? Bob Glaza tagged me for the Turtle Meme, and I wondered if turtles were depicted well in fairy tales...

Another fascinating fact about turtles is that snapping turtles can strech their jaws to devour food bigger than their mouths. Ever watched one devour a frog?

With these turtle facts in mind here's my response to the turtle meme. Hmm... what're some goals I'd like to accomplish - things that would be fascinating and fun to do that I haven't done... Here goes...

Goals to swim quickly for:

1. Take the whole family on a vacation. What fun my husband and I would have with our three children, their mates and our five grandsons. It's something I'd really enjoy doing. With lots of planning maybe we can pull it off.

2. Put on a big barbeque for all the folks who have prospered the MITA work Dr. Ellen Weber and I do. Such a party would be a wonderful way to celebrate with others who've helped us grow.

3. Take more Day Hops... [a site visited in a day's time]. There are so many natural and historical wonders in the world close by that I'd like to see and enjoy. One way to refresh and renew is to step out of the ordinary routines and get outside and enjoy our environment. I don't do enough of this and need to target it more weekly.

Goals to stretch:

1. Help people in Third World. I'd like to go to a country in Africa or Asia where I can share practical brain based approaches with people who would like to be "Tigers with Wings." When working in China, a leader told Dr. Ellen Weber and me, Before you came I was a Tiger. Now, I am a Tiger with Wings. I would like to see that happen for people in third world countries who would prosper.

2. Write a book. I've learned much about writing and engaging others on my blog. Next step would be to pick the best and with new additions organize and publish MITA brain based tactics in business as a handy resource for leaders.

3. Grow as a Tech Geek. There are several areas in which my hands have been tied as a blogger because I came with more content and writing strengths than HTML and programming savvy. Though I keep gaining, my progress still looks like the "slow" turtle in Aesop's Fables.

4. Learn to Paint... Though I have mentioned this desire, I have not taken the steps to do it. Writing it here...yet again, is a great reminder. Painting will help me view the world in different ways...it will help me stretch my imagination in new ways.

One more fact about turtles... many are listed as an endangered species. So for turtles to be all they can be, they need help and encouragement of a wider community.

Folks already tagged are: Cord Robyn Cam Sandy Jodee Ben David Liz David Matthew Robert Tully Karin Bob

Here's the rules* - make your post and refer back to this one. Tag one, two, three, five, ten - number doesn't matter - members of your community. You need to tell them they are tagged. Then copy the list of those already tagged to the end of your post. I have no idea how it will work but lets see if turtles move :)

I'm tagging: Bob Hruzek Anna Farmery GL Hoffman Cody Mckibben Ellen Weber

Spend Time and Save Time Simultaneously

I read a phrase in Liz Strauss's blog yesterday that stuck, Spend Time and Save Time Simultaneously. She added, "Time is a paradox of meaningful or meaningless moments. We can lose track of it. We can waste it or wait for our time to be over. She concluded, "I need to spend more time that I can save as memories." To spend time well, I sense, is akin to creating a great work of art.

Dreams or goals do not come about haphazardly, as if I painted with daubs and splashes as Jackson Pollock. Without planning, the end result's likely haphazard. And, I'd live with regrets rather than the meaningful moments Liz mentions.

Milestones and Memories make a difference in the way you and I choose to spend time. How? Milestones are accomplishments attained...Memories are made by spending precious times with those we love. Balance between the two is critical...

Interestingly, Ellen Weber once shared, "You cannot give to others unless you are filled and happy within yourself." The younger Robyn ran on empty because she gave and gave to everyone and consequently ran on fumes... Do you ever find yourself in this position?

On the other hand, when I began to top off my tank, such as when I took four years out to earn a PhD, I reached a milestone -- that filled a need within and part of a larger dream. And now when I give to others, there's balance between milestones and memories. A work of art in progress...

Rick Cockrum at Shards of Consciousness tagged me to share what habits I have to achieve my goals. Here's how this works for me...

1. Fulfill a Dream. Begin here. When reading Natalie Goldberg's books on writing, she suggested that readers write details about a dream. I discovered I didn't have a dream. So, I prayed for one that would bring meaning. It took time and the answer came unexpectedly. But when I caught hold of the dream, I began to organize to save and spend simultaneously my minutes, hours, days, weeks... I tapped gifts and talents that had shriveled.

2. Make an Action Plan. By having an action plan to reach a goal, I break down steps, which I jot into a daily planner or calendar. In past, that was missing and I "winged my days" so to speak. When I began to see the big picture, I did not get caught in the moment by pressing circumstances. This only happens when I...

3. Create a Daily Checklist. That includes time for tasks such as, work priorities, exercise, family events, reading and writing, well-balanced meals and fun, too. There's a sense of accomplishment as I scratch these off. The secret's not to include more than is humanly possible to accomplish in a day.

4. Plan a reward system. To accomplish major milestones, rewards along the way work well. I'm very human. The milestone can seem very distant and it's so easy for a person like me, who built procrastination into her basal ganglia for years, to fall back. Rewards are a great way to stick to the path. Plan times and kinds of rewards... Here's a hint -- avoid food rewards.

5. Reflect to adjust and change. Daily reflection helps me see where I am, what is working well and what needs changing.

6. Celebrate. Share share plans and dreams with others who care about you. These folks then encourage you along the journey. And because they're very much aboard, celebrate with them as you reach milestones. Because you are filled, you'll spill over to others in meaningful ways.

Rick, these are the steps that made a dream a reality for me - that lifted me from a place of merely flowing with the tide. I've learned to spend time and save time simultaneously...by setting goals and having a system to insure I follow through with them...as in a realistic painting.