As the fiscal year starts to wind down, it is a good time to reflect and take what you find in reflection and look forward.
Strategic planning and goal setting for the coming year would be much more successful if it were inspired.
What do I mean?
There is a cognitive state, that is inducible by internal and external environmental prompts or primes that is optimally conducive to creative thinking. It is called the flow state. In this state, a person will enjoy crystal clear focus, exponentially improved performance, and time seems to slow down or not exist at all.
Environments that prime this cognitive state are clear of clutter, distractions, and may even allow for specific conditions to exist that trigger the state further such as music, visual cues, or inspiration.
Flow killers are stress, boredom multi-tasking, and distractions from the concentrative state. Being able to achieve this state, for at least part of your day, every day, could lead to major breakthroughs, or at least a deeper sense of satisfaction through the process of planning. In fact, planning may even feel more like dreaming. That is desirable.
Don’t forget to record your revelations you encounter during flow state planning and creating, so you can architect your findings into reality. Records could consist of SWOT analyses, SMART goals, or flow charts and budgets.
Happy dreaming.