I am at a stage in my life when it is critically important for me to have very specific plans for my future. In many ways, I have a few “now or never” items on my wish list. The truth is, this is nothing new. Every season in life is critical and every dream should be approached as a “now or never” undertaking. I only wish I had learned this much earlier in life.
Thus, the reason for this makeover, targeting an updated personal strategy and an intense preparation for a full, life overhaul. It is also the reason I decided to share my journey and my process with others who want what I want; results in their lives that they have never seen before. Welcome to your 31-Day Makeover!
Every journey begins with defining the destination. The road to success begins with setting goals. And goals that have real value also include a timetable and a definite schedule. I have always achieved more when I have given myself a deadline. In setting deadlines, I have always considered the fact that there are only two possibilities as it relates to the future; either I will be here after a certain date or I won’t. It sounds very simple, but putting the future into that frame always positions me to hope for the best, prepare for the worst and set goals for both. Remember, a goal without a deadline is nothing but a dream.
I have learned that it is possible to accomplish tremendous success in just 31 days – one calendar month. In the past, I lost a lot of weight in one month; I had surgery to remove cancer from my body within a month; I also wrote a book in a month.
31 days is 744 hours. That is a lot of time in which, spent wisely and aimed at a specific goal, you can achieve great results. Spread that over 31 weeks and you give yourself even more opportunity to assess, strategize and achieve those goals.
The task for week #1 is to set a goal for week #30, which is the first week we complete this challenge. Remember, we will either be here in week #30 or we won’t. Only God knows for sure. We can just “get our houses in order” for the possibility of not being here.
But the other possibility is that we will still be here, and since most of us plan on being here, we ought to ask ourselves at least one of the following questions:
1. Who will I be after my makeover?
2. What will I have that I currently don’t have?
3. What will I accomplish between now and then?
A very popular proverb says “the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step”. The first step, for us, is to paint a picture of ourselves – at least write a sentence about ourselves – and describe what and whom we would like to see when we look in the mirror on week #30 after we complete this challenge.
This week’s task is to focus solely on who we want to become. The clearer the vision, the easier the strategy will be for getting there.
Action items:
- Make sure you are prepared for the unlikely event of an early departure.
- Identify at least one thing you will start doing, or have in your possession or complete by the end of your makeover.
- Write down your goal, place it in a sealed envelope and have someone mail it to you on day #28.
The journey has started!
Listen to my commentary on this chapter: The 31-Day Makeover: Day #1.
