Just recently I read a great article that reminded me that success in any venture is always based on what I call "The Four Lists".
The Four Lists are the guide-posts to success in support raising. The lists are really simple. So simple that we often forget them while looking for something more complicated!
Success in support raising is based on the Four Lists.
List #1: Your Core Values
Knowing what you believe, what you value, what you stand for, is essential. Your values are your compass. They are the touchstone against which everything else is measured.
There are hundreds of values that compete for your attention, and it is vital to know which ones are at the core of your life. If you aren't clear about your highest values, your chances for long-term satisfaction and success are greatly diminished. If you aren't clear about your core values, you'll wander forever, lost in a world of endless choices with no clear direction.
This is true in life in general, and it is true in raising support as well.
What's on your list? Have you written it down? Have you reviewed it with loved ones, and up-dated it recently? Knowing your Core Values is List #1.
List #2: Your Long-term Goals and Priorities
Where are you going and what are you doing with your wonderful life? What are your 5- and 10-year priorities? What are the big pieces that get your time and your best efforts?
Have you written your goals down, and shared the list with your partners, family and friends? Have you reviewed it recently and up-dated it at least once a year? Do you know why you're working so hard and how you'll measure success 10 years from now? Write your Major Goals down! List #2 is essential.
List #3: Your Short-term Projects
Do you have a spring campaign, or a 6-week project? Highly successful people know their priorities and they work on them every day. They have 30-day targets, and quarterly deadlines. They have a list of items to be completed by the end of the month. What are you working on? How much progress will you make by 5:00 P.M. Friday afternoon?
Highly successful people always work from a written list of short-term projects. They always know the next step, the most important piece of the puzzle, and they don't waste time. What's on your list of projects?
List #4: Your Daily Musts
High achievers maintain a personal list of "practices" they do every single day. These are things like exercise, meditation or prayer, time to plan, and other daily actions that create the life they truly want. My personal list includes an hour to read, and touching base with at least one colleague or loved one, every day.
What's on your "Daily List"? Take care of yourself, every day. Have some fun, every day! Do the things that create and build the life you really want, and do them every single day.
These are the four lists that make life worthwhile. They are the lists that high achievers keep close to their hearts and on top of their desks. They are the lists that guide their actions and inform their efforts. They may be written on simple note paper, but they are fundamental to creating and living the life your truly want.
What's on your lists?
