2: New year, new horizons

In the book Getting Things Done, author and renowned productivity consultant, David Allen, shares his framework on the “Horizons of Focus.”  Allen’s “Horizons of Focus” visioning framework essentially provides personal direction on how to spend our time and what specifically to work on next to be most productive towards the things that matter. 

The framework begins by defining your purpose and then determining how you will fulfill that purpose via your most important objectives in the next 5 years.  In order to achieve those big picture objectives, you set annual SMART goals, which are worked towards through smaller projects that are governed by the appropriate daily structure, intentions, and system that you follow.  Rinse and repeat. This approach resonates with me, and I’m trying it out this year as I set the following 2019 goals below. 

Alright, time for some true accountability. I’m sharing my horizons with you not only to share a useful goal setting and visioning technique that I hope you enjoy, but also to hold myself accountable by throwing my goals out there in a public forum.  You’ll see that this vision isn’t anything wildly aspirational. I’m not planning on running Iron Man races, solving hunger, or starting a business, I just hope to simply focus on improving parts of my every day life that bring me the most joy and purpose.  

Check out my example and give your own horizons a try as you begin your resolutions, goals, and intentions for the year.  Let me know what you come up with!

My Horizons:

Horizon 5 (THE WHY): Define your purpose

Inspire, connect, and engage the people in my life.

Horizon 4 (THE WHAT): Establish big picture objectives (Next 5 years)

Family: Build our family

Friends: Be there for important milestones and events.

Career: Take the next steps on a career path of wealth management and financial planning.

Home: Be a fun and welcoming place to host.

Self-development (Intellectual): Begin writing a book.

Self-development (Physical): Become consistently decent in tennis and golf.

Horizon 3: 2019 SMART goals

1. Family: Host Charlie’s first birthday party:
   1. I know.  It’s a slightly ridiculous and obvious goal, but it is one of the few measurable goals I could think of for parenting. Also, the idea of making it through the first year of parenting with a happy marriage, a presentable house, and enough energy and enthusiasm to host a party is a success in my book.  My eye will be on the prize during those sleepless nights. 
2. Friends: Celebrate 7+ weddings:
   1. With a busy year this year, my normal social life will be limited.  However, I will strive to give everything I have to at least the weddings that we have and that I’m a groomsman in this year.
3. Career: Get promoted within Advice at Vanguard:
   1. With my passion for Financial Advice and Vanguard’s momentum in that space, there may be opportunities to take the next step and make a bigger impact in a new role by the end of the year. 
4. Self-development (Intellectual): Publish a blog:
   1. Thanks again for reading!
5. Self-development (Physical): Play in Dad’s tennis rotation 5 times:
   1. My Dad plays doubles with a good group of tennis players.  I need to shake off the rust and be good enough to compete with them, and subsequently earn my invitations back out with the group a few additional times. 

Horizon 2 (THE HOW): Projects to achieve goals:

1. Charlie: Commit to daily family quality time, work towards development milestones
2. Weddings: Plan ahead for events, stay engaged as groomsman
3. Promotion: Pass CFP exam, Resume MBA program, explore roles, build financial planning expertise
4. Blog: Write weekly reflections
5. Tennis: Play at least once/week beginning in April

Horizon 1: Daily Routines, systems, intentions:

Although the system itself is too detailed to share, my intentions in creating that system are the following: be clear about what I’m committed to and equally clear about what I’m not committed to.  Establish routine and execute with discipline.  Plan ahead and carve out time to focus on the most important things.  Have the courage and grit to do the things that I say I’m going to do.