What a gem I found!

Today as I was spring cleaning my desk I found a ledger from the past. On it I had written three goals. Beside each goal I had answered three questions. I think these questions were from a course I had taken with motivational speaker and author Cheryl Richardson. Reading these questions helped me realize that the problems I faced two years ago are now a mote point.

The questions about each goal were:
Why have I not taken action on this goal?
What is the cost to me for not taking this action?
What will the pleasure be when I do take this action?

The first goal I had written was to have a retirement plan for my employees. This was unheard of in small dental offices but I wanted to provide a future for my employees. The reasons I had not taken action on this goal were that I didn't understand how to set up the fund and I didn't trust people with the money.
The answer to the cost question was that I was losing a tax benefit and losing the potential for future savings for me and my employees.
The answer to the pleasure question was that I would gain a tax benefit and future savings.
This was interesting to read today because once I found someone to answer my questions the retirement plan was really a no-brainer.

I had another goal to decrease my patient hours and days. The 'why no action?' question was the fear of rejection and dissatisfaction (of all things) from my employees (they love the decreased hours) and it goes against the norm in other dental offices.
The cost was that I was tired and burned out. The pleasure would be that I would not be tired and burned out. I was beginning to see a pattern developing. The opposite of the cost of not realizing your goals is the pleasure you gain once you achieve them.
Today we have limited office hours. Our production and collection numbers have doubled and we wonder why we ever worked eight hour days.

Another goal was buying a new office. Why no action? Once again it was 'fear' of the unknown. I did not understand building renovations. The plumbing, electrical and flooring were areas I did not understand. I see another pattern developing. Fear or lack of knowledge keeps me from achieving my goals. Thank goodness there are people out there are equipped with that knowledge. I do not have to know everything ...I just need to know how to find someone who does!
The cost was the fact we needed space to grow the practice and of course the pleasure was the space needed to grow the practice. I drive by my old office on the way home from work and realize what a miracle it was that we lasted as long as we did in that tiny space.

Writing down goals is not enough for me. Just like 'talking about it' does not get the job done. What goals do you have for your life? What do you want to do but just haven't gotten around to it? Answer these three questions and watch your dreams come true.

Why have I not taken action on this goal?
What is the cost to me for not taking this action?
What will the pleasure be when I take this action?