What’s your procedure manual?
A procedure manual. Sounds officially official doesn’t it?
When it comes to closing the gap between where you are and where you WANT to be, do you have a procedure manual in place to guide you through the process?
What do you think of when you hear procedure manual? A long, boring document filled with rules, steps and hard to understand actions…a what to do when you don’t know what to do?
According to Merriam Webster, a procedure is (noun) a particular way of accomplishing something or of acting: a series of steps followed in a regular definite order; a traditional or established way of doing things. And a manual is (adjective) a requiring of or using physical skill and energy (noun) a book that is conveniently handled; especially: handbook.
After just reading through those definitions and knowing that I’m all about prioritized focus (if you’re not familiar, start here), where do you think I’m going to go with this?
If you guessed apply this to our own personal goal setting and make a procedure manual, you’re right!
So it sounds like we could really benefit from having our own procedure manual, well that’s IF we truly want to close the gap between where we are and where we really want to be. (not just saying where we want to be)
This is important because by it’s definition alone, it works to help us accomplish something by taking ACTION through a series of proven STEPS followed in a definite ORDER and done CONSISTENTLY.
Feeling stuck? Hmmm, maybe your own procedure manual will get you out of the muck that’s got you stuck!
Not sure how to create one? Work backwards!
Either think back to the things you were doing that GOT you stuck and do the opposite or think of where you want to be and list the things that are needed and need to be done to get you there and start getting and doing those things!
Still not convinced you need a personal procedure manual?
When you buy a new product what does it come with? A procedure manual.
And when you go as far as you can on your own, (get stuck) what do you resort to for help? The procedure manual.
When you begin a new job and need to learn the ways of the company and/or specifics of your job, what do you get? A training manual.
And where does the boss point you when you come with a question you should know the answer? You guessed it!
What do you do when you don’t understand the manual? Go and find someone who has already interpreted, experienced or completed the place where you are stuck right now!
Most wonder why they are not further along in their gap closing quest, but I would point my finger to their personal procedure manual. Either they’re not following it, getting help with it or worse…never took the time to create one!
How about you? Can you see why your own gap isn’t closing between where you are and where you want to be right now?
Odds are you know the reason and it’s most likely one mentioned above. So what are you going to do about it?
Ignoring, tweaking & following my own procedure manual to my gap closing quest right there with ya,
Deana
Need help formulating a personal procedure manual? Check this out!