Measuring Results (1) – ElPropósito4 min de lectura

The gap that opens (or closes) in the first quarter, and what to do about it

Photo by Matt Duncan on Unsplash

My annual plan is sacred. Objectives, plans and goals are what my life revolves around, and every day I take small steps toward everything I want to achieve. Of the three hundred and some days in a year, every single one holds a small step I can take, something in my hands to do, that brings me closer to my goals. Read on to see why the first quarter matters so much for any plan or goal.

We’re starting the third month of the year, a key moment to check how we’re doing. On the road to our goals it’s very easy to drift off course. The detour is tempting, dressed up with all kinds of charms. The temptations vary with the type of goal, and they share one thing: a pull back to old habits, to the famous comfort zone.

Franklin Covey says that "there are two things you can control: the plan (what you want to achieve) and the execution of the plan (how you’ll achieve it)". Plans are often fuzzy, unclear or overly ambitious. Making one realistic takes deep honesty and the lessons learned from earlier plans.

Executing a plan takes discipline. A goal rarely becomes reality without its dose of discipline. Effort, dedication, care, punctuality and consistency are some of the values that, applied day after day (with discipline) and over time, deliver the payoff we’re after: reaching the goal.

Both plans and execution need a measurement system. Accountability is the mechanism that creates a virtuous cycle between execution and planning. With it, companies and individuals alike can monitor their goals and make the necessary changes while there’s still time.

Every plan should start with a firm commitment to what we want to achieve, the essential dose of purpose, and a system that shows how results are trending so we can spot any needed change in time. Closing the gap between planning and execution starts the moment the goals are set. It means deciding what we’ll track, so we know at every moment "how we’re doing".

As the first quarter draws to a close, there’s still plenty of time to take stock, adjust the plans and close the gaps, all of which raises the odds of success. The alternative is drifting and hoping things improve on their own. A plan succeeds or fails on what we can control and what’s in our hands to do from here.

Warm regards and all the best,

Rodrigo Baccaro

This week’s VELA:

• What I’ve been Viewing: The Ideal Man. Ayn Rand wrote a series of books, all good, and I’ve read The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Her books left an indelible mark on me, especially The Fountainhead. This video struck me, especially the part about the rational man. What stood out: "This is the right thing to do….you decide what you want rationally and you choose rationally what you will take to pursue that goal". It ties in neatly with today’s post.
• What I’ve been Listening to: The Prince. An audiobook of this wonderful work. It’s my second time with it, and this time I’m listening. Machiavelli is, without a doubt, another great author taken out of context and misread, just like Nietzsche, as I wrote last week. This YouTube audiobook channel is free and very good. I recommend it.
• What I’ve been Reading: La columna de hierro. I’ve only just started, and it’s already in my TOP 10. More than 20 years ago, a school friend told me her favorite author was Taylor Caldwell. In 2019 I read Dear and Glorious Physician, a wonderful book that marked my life. Today my mother-in-law gave me this one. It traveled from Nicaragua, as if it had been waiting to reach my hands, and it fills my spirit and my heart. Caldwell spent nine long years writing it. It’s a historical novel about Marcus Tullius Cicero. A wonderful gift, and one of the richest historical reads I’ve had. I’m just getting started and very excited.
• What I’ve been Learning: 5 stretching exercises for masters swimmers. I stretch before and after every session. A friend from my swim club shared this short video, and I really liked it. With no machines (just yourself), stretches like these relieve aches. Great work by Tomas Bisono. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with the world. You’re already doing me a big favor by teaching me such good stretches.

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

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