Specificity, Proactivity, Happicivity

It's one of those days where I should be working, but since I've managed to finish up some really big projects, I'm taking a few minutes to NOT think about work...ok I'm think about work if I'm trying to not think about work, but you know what I mean.

My boss is having the whole group read "Time Tactics of Very Successful People" by BE Griessman. I think he didn't read the book carefully enough, because I now want to stop working here more than I did before I read the book.

Successful people do things that they enjoy. They have goals that they want to meet. It is not a goal of mine to stay at UCLA as lab manager. I don't see where that will get me. I had already figured out that I didn't want to have my own research lab years ago. So, I only was here until I figured out what I wanted to do. I haven't figured it out yet, but I know I don't want to be here.

One of the habits of highly successful people is to write down their goals and to BE SPECIFIC. This was recently exemplified by Michael Phelps winning his 8 gold medals. There was talk about th piece of paper that he had written everything down on and he said that he had met his goals. That's how successful people do it. I've been thinking about writing down my goals. They may show up here, but I think I'm afraid to do it because I might fail. As long as I don't write them down they aren't real...but as long as I don't write them down, I will never meet them.

The other scary thing is: what if I do meet them? I'm not sure if I'm ready to accept that I am successful. The other day I was meeting with a therapist to help work though some issues for dealing with the stress of my new family situation (having to be responsible for my sister who is living with me). And the therapist referred to me as "successful". I was floored. I had never thought of my self as successful. But not that I'm thinking about it, I've had a pretty good track record.

I wanted to get a PhD and I did. I wanted to marry Richard and I did. I wanted to complete a triathlon and I did. I wanted to have a baby and I did. When I was little I wanted a better looking Christmas tree and I got one. Am I spoiled or am I just goal oriented and proactive?

BE PROACTIVE is another one of those things that successful people do. Actually in this case I'm talking about "Effective People" (7 habits of Highly successful people SR Covey). I'm reading (or listening) to this too. I'm not to crazy about the role of "a higher power" in being effective, but otherwise it's a pretty enlightening book. I find myself applying the tools that Covey talks about. Today I deleted a whole e-mail because I was going to shift the blame for something and complain, but decided that I didn't have to. It was fine to just drop the issue.

So there it is...I'm working on being successful and effective and not working on my assigned job. But in the long run I think I will be better off. I will BE HAPPY.