Camp Grandma by Marianne Waggoner Day

Author:Marianne Waggoner Day
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: She Writes Press
Published: 2019-03-05T16:00:00+00:00

START YOUR PLAN

When I was working, we did business plans annually. We usually did those plans at the end of the year so we could start off the New Year with our plans in place. It’s a very good practice that many smart businesspeople do to help them be successful. Very simply, on a piece of paper or in a notebook, you write down your goals and what it will take to reach them. Do you have obstacles to overcome? Do you need support or help from others? How will you measure your progress? Those are good things to think about when writing your plan. Then you review your plan throughout the year to make sure you are on track and staying focused. That is how you are assured you will reach your goal.

When I explained this to the kids, their response was typical: “But we are not in business, and we are not grown-ups!”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to be either one to start planning. It’s a good exercise for your mind. It gets you thinking ahead at any age. Think about it as preparing for the future because a plan helps you get where you want to go. A plan helps make your wishes and dreams come true. Let’s do one together now.

“We can begin by just describing what you’d like to accomplish next year. School starts soon. What do you hope to achieve in your new grade level? Do you want to make new friends? Do you want to get good grades? Do you want to play a sport or be in a school performance? Just start writing down your intentions and what you would like for next year. Here is a brand-new notebook and pen for each of you to begin. Take your time, no rush.”

They started writing without further questions. Finishing, they closed their books and ran off to play—escape at last. Only the oldest, Jack, stayed seated in deep concentration. Finally satisfied, he closed his book and handed it to me.

With all their notebooks in hand, I leafed though, taking stock. Jack (fourteen at the time of this exercise) had fifteen entries, ranging from personal growth to academics and sports. Katie (age eleven) wrote five, including a Christmas gift wish. Jake (age twelve) wanted to get a degree in math (of course, as would any future astronaut), and Lauren (age nine) wrote down five goals, all about relationships and people she cares about.

We would review these a few months later, after they were well into the new school year. We will check the progress and reexamine and modify if need be. These rechecks are important to do periodically. In my working career, I saw too many business plans go into a manager’s bottom drawer and never surface again. Not with this grandma! A plan is worthless unless it is revisited. If you are serious about meeting goals, then keep them clearly posted and top of mind. This can motivate you to stay focused on what you want to accomplish.

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