better business blog

Tips and stories to add value to you and your organisation

Setting A Personal Goal

3 January 2016

Do you like coffee? Delicious, hot and perky, it’s a great brew and I’m sure if you look hard enough you’ll find an ancient Starbucks at Machu Pichu.

It also messes with your system and reduces the flow through capillaries in the brain, but let’s not worry about that. Live for today! Drink more coffee!

Well, that was me ten years ago and then I gave up coffee. I had headaches for two weeks as my blood vessels adjusted and then all was good. I had clearer skin too and brighter eyes and clearly my body was rejoicing at being caffeine free for the first time since I’d had my first black coffee in 1974.

My primary school teacher, Mrs Roberts, was drinking a mysterious dark beverage and when I told my mum later that day, I was astonished to find that it was called ‘black coffee’. This was exotic stuff back then and quite avant garden to forgo milk. I tried a cup, my mum thinking I’d hate it. I loved it and never looked back.

Until 2006 when a friend suggested I might have an allergy to coffee (I had an annoying skin complaint that had defied medical science). She was right and I’ve never had so much as a sip since.

I tell the story because if we set a personal goal it can often be over complicated, such as to run so far in a set time whilst looking uber cool. We need to think more simply and set a personal goal that is easy to say in no more than ten words.

One change can unlock another so we would be well advised to find the key that sends ripples through our life and our well-being.

Ten years ago coffee was that key. This year it’s sleep. I’ve been exhausted and need to sleep for an extra five hours a week. The cumulative effect of this will be huge for me. Worth going for!

What’s your personal goal this year?

Next week: Marginal Or Sustainable?