When Life Takes A Detour - 4 Signposts That Will Guide You Back On Track

It happens a lot 'round about now. One by one the astonished phrases sound out over the wire: "Oh, my gosh! Is it April already?! I can't believe that much of the year has gone by! I need to get busy! There's so much I still want to do! I haven't even start to get busy on (Project X)! I feel so unfocused." Yes, April is here, and though the calendar may be an arbitrary, senseless pressure imposed by our supposedly thinking minds, the value of some awareness of time passing is a good thing; at least for those with big plans for their futures, and big lives pulling them off track. Because April signals the imminent end to the first quarter of the year, it is a natural mile-marker upon which to measure progress in our one year goals. Indeed, she brings with her an opportunity for evaluation and redesign that is essential for progress and ultimately for success.

Perhaps you are lucky and feel completely focused and energized in each of the important areas of your life. Perhaps,?but I doubt it. It's not that I doubt YOU - you are brilliant, capable, impressively resourceful and incredibly effective - I only doubt that you've avoided nature. Balance is an ever-shifting equation in the theatre of Business and life. (Pull-out quote here: It is the property of true genius to disturb all settled ideas.)

Maintaining absolute balance while moving forward is as difficult as holding an egg steady whilst running with a blindfold on. So, whether you've spent the first 3 months of 2005 charging determinedly towards your goal(s) or you've found yourself wallowing in despondent confusion, it is likely that some area of your life plan has fallen off-track or at the very least, has been stalled on the track.

The good news is that, like so many things in life, getting back on track can be far simpler than we imagine. In the paragraphs ahead I list four signposts to follow, each of which is a sure-fire fix to a stalled or detoured goal or dream. To jumpstart your life, simply identify where you feel off track and, focusing on that area, answer the questions in each category. You'll be surprised at how easily a stuck wheel can be oiled with the right question! A word to the impatient: although following each signpost may feel like a sidetrip, each will provide fuel for your trip, speeding you to a point further on down the track you'd been stalled on to begin with. Take the risk and the time - answer the questions!

The Land of Outcome - What Do I Want?

Often times we lose our way because we weren't precisely sure where we were going in the first place. Entering the Land of Outcome allows you to get specific and clear about what will actually change - what will either be in your life or absent from it - when you reach your goal. When you leave this area you'll be able to tell others exactly where you are headed and what is waiting for you there.

* What do you want to "hold in your hand" as a result of your efforts?

* How will you know when you've reached your goal?

* What will change in your life as a result of achieving this goal?

* What will be present in your life?

* What will be absent from your life?

* What is the bare minimum you can accept in this area in a year's time? 6 months? 3 months? By next month?

The Land of motivation - Why Do I Want It?

Driving into this land is all about visiting or revisiting the reasons why you set up your goal in the first place. Answering the following questions will help you lock into the p