Random Wisdom (or DUH)

I’ve been involved in a lot of IT projects as a consultant. Most of these projects had to do with setting up a new website or IT system. In the pre-sales stage I would talk with the client about goals, requirements and such. And in almost all of the cases the goal was an installed IT solution. Of course they new they had to train their people to use and maintain the new system, but that’s about as far as it went.

Looking back, I think an installed IT solution isn’t a goal for the client. It’s a means to an end, or a sub goal if you prefer. The real goal could be something like: A year from now my team will be able to handle 40% more invoices in the same amount of time, with 30% less mistakes. That’s what the client really wants and that’s what you have to take into account at every stage of the project.

In this case you could ask yourself: what if we expand the team and train them to be more accurate? How much would that cost and how well would that work? And how does a new IT solution compare? This way you make sure that you’re actually doing the right thing.

The same logic applies to personal change. Whether you want to lose 20 pounds, stop smoking or improve your time management, you need to look beyond point B. What will your life be like, a year after you’ve reached point B. Which habits and beliefs will help you keep the weight off? Wich circumstances have you created to not crave tobacco? How much better will your life be one year or even 10 years from now? These questions will guide you to doing the right things now. Visualize to make this image of the future even stronger, and it will be your ultimate driving force.

So remember: find out where you really want to be, and then figure out how to get there.