Most daydreamers are familiar with the euphoria that accompanies a vision. But empowerment is not realized until that vision is supported by a viable, sustainable plan with concrete goals. That’s the philosophy of Rev. Nathaniel Gadsden, founder of the Writers Wordshop, a not-for-profit organization based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, that helps poets develop their inner voice.
Gadsden has found that his techniques are not only helpful in poetry, but in many areas of goal planning. “I (write) everything down, which has allowed me to hone in on my ministry and understand my calling for life,” explains Gadsden, 54, who serves as pastor of Imani African Christian Church. He is also the author of Learning Self-Therapy Through Writing (Universal Publishers; $19.95). In his book, Gadsen details four bridges: I am, I can, I want to, and I’ll do it today.
For anyone who is going through a transition in life, whether it is starting a new career or launching a business, Gadsden says the following:
I AM
Before giving birth to the Writer’s Wordshop (www.nathanielgadsen.com) in 1977, Gadsden took personal inventory of what he had in stock. “Each one of us is a living human document. Your experiences are critical to who you’ve become as an individual.” Gadsden suggests that before you switch careers or begin writing a business plan, take stock of your experiences (the successes and the failures). Also, take into account your family of origin and your family of choice, since they are both important in how you see yourself as an individual. Write down whatever you can remember from when you were 2 years old to two weeks ago, Gadsden advises.
I CAN
Aspiring entrepreneurs are often told to assess what they can do. The Small Business Administration (www.sba.gov/starting_business/startup/basics.html) suggests that writing down your experiences will help you answer questions like: “How good am I at making quick, difficult decisions under pressure? Do I have the physical and emotional stamina to run a business? How well do I plan and organize? How will my new career affect my family and personal relationships?” Answering such questions honestly will also determine the depths of your desire to turn a new corner in life.
I WANT TO
Since its inception, critically acclaimed poets like Sonia Sanchez, Etheridge Knight, and the late Gwendolyn Brooks have presented at the Writers Wordshop. Gadsden met many
I’LL DO IT TODAY
Put your plan into action. Gadsden looked to more than poets for help. He worked with a grant writer at the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts to create a proposal for funding and to develop an organizational framework. He not only received free professional advice but also a $3,000 grant. “The worst thing you can do is plan in a vacuum. Have someone who is not emotionally invested in your vision help you write and review [your plan],” says Gadsden, who was also instructed to write a list of potential and core supporters that allowed the Wordshop to raise $75,000 the first year.
FROM WISH TO GOAL
Follow Gadsden’s pointers and you can carry your visionto the bank and not the grave.
Write the vision and make it plain:A vision can be grand and ambitious, but objectives and goals should be concrete, simple, and measurable.
Writing with tunnel vision can lead you off course:Identify and plan goals around obstacles that may be out of peripheral view.
Do not let your vision go stale: After you’ve written your goals, revisit them often to assess if they are pertinent to your present reality.
Do not let your vision go stale: After you’ve written your goals, revisit them often to assess if they are pertinent to your present reality.
DON’T JUST DREAM — PLAN
Lose weight. Earn a promotion. Learn a second language. Get out of debt. Few people would blame you for wanting to do any one of these things — or all of the above. The question is, are these true goals or mere wishes?
Most of us are familiar with the saying, “a goal without a plan is just a wish.” The ability to set and achieve goals — whether it’s the simple to-do list that gets you through the day or major objectives that will define your life — is the difference between success and failure, between mere busywork and truly worthwhile accomplishments.
Are you actively, even desperately, trying to achieve your goals or are you passively hoping for your dreams to come true? It’s a matter of commitment: Your goals must be so important to you that you are motivated to do whatever it takes to achieve them. The only person who can provide that commitment is you.
Putting goals down on paper is just one of the many techniques used by peak performers to transform dreams and wishes into reality. For more on the principles of goal-setting, read the following books:
Goal Setting 101: How To Set and Achieve a Goal by Gary Ryan Blair (Blair Publishing House; $7.95)
The Ten Commandments of Goal Setting: Violate Them At Your Own Risk by Gary Ryan Blair (The GoalsGuy; $7.95)
Motivation and Goal Setting: How to Set and Achieve Goals and Inspire Others by Jim Cairo (Career Press; $10.99)
There are also online resources to help you set and achieve your goals. For example, www.mygoals.com is a site dedicated to helping its members set and manage their goals in categories ranging from personal finance to family and relationships. Other online resources for goal-setters include www.topachievement.com and www.goal-setting-guide.com.
–Alfred A. Edmond Jr.