Planning Your Life with Intention

This week a Facebook memory popped up on my news feed. Apparently it was a year ago that I attended a remarkable “life-altering” experience in Phoenix, AZ. It seemed only natural to reflect on the progress I have made since then.

The month prior to the conference, I had been invited to join an online coaching program created by the CEO of my creative design outsourcing resource (Design Pickle). The founder of the company, Russ Perry, had developed a 30-Day “Acceleration” program aimed at empowering entrepreneurs with a multifaceted curriculum of personal and professional growth tools and activities.

The now defunct group I joined was called The Creative Syndicate. I wrote about it here. I was part of the inaugural group of cohorts to work through the 30-day program.

This wasn’t your usual online, business-focused coaching program. It encompassed all facets of “life”; a CORE of four fundamental pillars: Body (your physical self), Being (awareness and intention; internal), Balance (connection with others) and Business. Every day in November we received a short video with an assignment for the day. We then had to post a live Facebook video inside the group. As you can imagine, the thought of posting a LIVE video to group of strangers was extremely intimidating. Not to mention that much of the content was personal and private – a double whammy of vulnerability. I threw caution to the wind and dove head first into the process.

At the end of the 30-Day program, we were then invited to travel to Phoenix for the first ever Creative Syndicate Business Summit. In addition to a handful of members from The Creative Syndicate, it was also open to a mix of entrepreneurs and creatives looking to level up. I think there were about 30 of us. It was a full two-day event.

As you’d expect with an event like this, a good portion was focused on reflection and future planning. We were asked to cast a wide vision for ourselves and to create a life story; to set goals, milestones and daily habits. We were asked to complete a “fact map” which is a brutally honest assessment of where I was THAT DAY…and where I wanted to go (and be and do and see). Much like a GPS, in order to know where you want to go, you have to know where you are!

We worked on both annual as well as shorter term “90-Day Challenge” goals. This 90-Day challenge framework became the guiding force for my personal and professional development throughout 2019. My desire for 2019 was to focus on my business and scale up, strengthen my relationship with my family, travel, push myself physically and to take time for myself in areas of personal growth and development. Even though I consider myself ambitious and driven, I hadn’t really taken the time to write stuff down in areas outside of work and business. I wasn’t living my life with true (and stated) intention. I had been blessed with good fortune, but I had also stumbled in various areas. I had also taken things for granted. And then there’s my reputation for resisting help from others (I’ll do it myself!). This was the opportunity to set the intention (desire) to deliberately pursue positive growth in key areas of my life.

A year on, it’s quite incredible to reflect on the progress I’ve made following this event.

Here it goes:

• Endeavored to commit to a daily morning routine involving a green drink, exercise, meditation, journaling and daily planning.
• I started a personal blog… and it’s still going.
• Traveled to NZ to see my family.
• Ran a 5K in 30 minutes.
• Went to Cancun with my wife.
• Committed to weekly date nights.
• Celebrated Liverpool (football team) winning the European Champions Cup in a raucous London pub.
• Fulfilled a vision board “dream” to travel from London to Paris via the Chunnel. I honestly had a picture pinned to my wall of the St Pancras Railway Station (where it departs) for more than 10 years! I vividly remember when this tunnel was built (in 1994) and had always dreamed of making the trip.
• Ascended to the top of the Eiffel tower at dusk and watched the sunset. A picture of the Eiffel tower had also resided on my vision board for a decade; the sunset experience was an added bonus.
• Stood in front of the Mona Lisa, the Rosetta Stone and Buckingham Palace.
• Implemented a 90-Day Challenge goal in my business to address financial management issues and deficiencies. I introduced a new financial management system (Profit First by Mike Michalowicz) for my business resulting in a reduction in money-related stress and anxiety.
• Implemented a 90-Day Challenge goal to focus on marketing where my previous strategies were outdated and largely ad hoc. I made the decision to transition to a new marketing philosophy (StoryBrand by Donald Miller). Almost overnight the number of leads coming into my business doubled.
• Hired a freelance professional copywriter, Facebook advertising management firm and a freelance Google Ads expert.
• Sales this year are set to eclipse sales last year even though my revenue last year was an anomaly thanks to a freakish big win. In 2019, I’m going to beat that freakish number.
• Designed and published a 30-Day Growth Journal (available for sale on Amazon…soon). Stay tuned.

I’m eternally grateful to my coaches inside the The Creative Syndicate (Russ & Alex). They helped plant the seeds for a tremendously fruitful year. I’m super thankful for the opportunity I got in November to really focus and commit to leveling up both myself and my business. I’m also appreciative of those around me who helped me nourish those seeds along the way: family, friends, small groups and those in my Creative Syndicate accountability groups. I couldn’t have done it without you.