Category Archives: Goal setting

From Covid-19 Lockdown To Success With Our Goals

The Covid-19 pandemic has touched all our lives in different ways, no matter which country you are reading this from. Apart from the direct health impacts of the virus it has also hit the global economy and impacted negatively on livelihoods. In this article I want to give an update on the pandemic from an Irish perspective and share what I have been up to since January 2021. I am working to use this time in lockdown to create goal success and I want to share my key tips on making the most of this time in lockdown.

World’s highest infection rate

On 30th December 2020 Ireland, where I live, went into full lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. All non-essential shops closed. All pubs, restaurants, hair salons etc. closed. All sporting and music events stopped. People are required to work from home if possible, and exercise not more than 5km from their homes.

What happened was that we had a surge of Covid-19 infections over the Christmas period. At one point in January we had the world’s highest infection rate of Covid-19. Infection rates rose sharply from what was the lowest incident rate of Covid in the European Union in early December. As of Friday 5th March 2021 according to Irish government statistics there have now been 4,357 deaths of people with COVID-19 in Ireland. My thoughts go to the families of those who have passed away, to those who are still in hospital and to those who are still recovering from this terrible virus.

There are signs that things are starting to improve. Thankfully the lockdown has worked and infection rates and deaths are coming down now and restrictions will likely be eased in April. We also have our vaccination programme being rolled out to the most vulnerable. The weather is also getting better as we head into spring which is another reason for optimism!

My lockdown Project

My aim to use use this time in lockdown to create goal success. Since January I have been working on a new online course on beekeeping. This will be my 6th online course and I am really enjoying developing the course. When I made my first online course in 2017 it was a very steep learning curve to get the sound quality and video quality right. I hadn’t a clue how to edit videos. By now I am getting into the swing of things and I find it is much easier to develop a video lecture. However, there is still a huge amount of work to be done in developing a course. The course structure and content has to be right to start with. My object is to make this course a top quality course which will help people start their first hive of bees. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to teach people using an online learning platform.

No permission needed

I taught beekeeping at Baraka Agricultural College in Kenya for over 10 years. Having attained my PhD in beekeeping in 2012, I always wanted to teach beekeeping to students at a university. However there are not many opportunities to do so. Particularly in a country like Ireland where the weather is not very conducive to commercial beekeeping (it rains a lot here!). Now, using the world wide web I can teach beekeeping to the world! For example my current course ‘Background to Beekeeping’ has 840 students from 81 countries. I enjoy interacting with beekeeping students from all over the world. One really important point to remember when we want to do something is that we don’t need anyone’s permission to do it. I just made and launched the course. I did not wait for anyone to tell me that I had their permission or that I was good enough.

After Action Review

In my new course I have 22 lectures completed out of 79 so far (nearly 30% of the course done). I still have a long way to go but I am making steady progress with my lockdown goal. I do love when I have a clear focus on a key goal. Right now I am writing this article on Saturday and on Saturdays I usually complete an After Action Review (AAR). I review the past week and plan the week ahead. As part of my AAR I also take time to review my goals. Today I am going to set a realistic target launch date for the new course. Ideally I want to launch the new course by the end of April. So loads of work to do over the coming weeks!

What about you?

How about you – do you have an all consuming engaging goal that you are working on? Especially if you are in lockdown like me you can use the lockdown to create goal success. Do you have a goal that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning? Do you have something that you have a burning desire to do or achieve? Perhaps you have been waiting for someone’s approval or permission to do something?

My first piece of advice is to choose yourself. Give yourself permission to do whatever you feel drawn to do. My second piece of advice is don’t wait. We are already in March and the first quarter of 2021 is nearly over. Make a start right now. If you are not sure what you want to focus on then please check out my course: Goal Setting 2021: Set & Achieve Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals. Do the course, get clear on your key goals and then go for it! Life is fun when we have a clear goal that we are working towards. Time in lockdown can certainly be put to good use to create goal success.

Best wishes,

Tom

Sale Extended & Top Goal Setting Tips for 2021

Happy New Year!  I hope your new year has started very well and I wish you every success for the year ahead.  Just a quick update that my best selling courses New Year Sale has been extended until end of 26th January 2021. I also have my top 2021 goal setting tips to share below.

Tom’s Top Goal Setting Tips for 2021:

1.  Set yourself a learning goal for the New Year.  Continuous learning/lifelong learning is key to career success over the next decade.  The pace of change in our world is accelerating and the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated this further.  To remain relevant in a fast changing world we need to keep building our skills or become obsolete.  I deal with the technologies and other forces driving change in our world and how these changes are impacting on jobs and careers in my ‘Future Skills 2030’ course (please see link to course below).  In 2020 I built new skills on Futures Thinking and am currently undertaking a course on Cyber Security.  I am not just giving you advice but I am following it myself!  What learning goal(s) will you set for 2021?

2.  Set yourself challenging goals.  The reality is that challenging goals are inspiring and motivating.  They excite us and fire us up to take action.  I have set my own challenging goal on publishing a new beekeeping course that I have been working on.  I aim to do this by February 20th and I really feel inspired to achieve that goal!

“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work”…..

Daniel Burnham (1864-1912)

New Year Goal Setting for 2021

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New Year Flash Sale! Get my top selling courses for up to 90% off (Sale extended to end January 26th 2021).

During this holiday season, give yourself a gift that can last a lifetime and can help you transform your life.

Goal Setting 2021: Set & Achieve Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals ( $12.99)

Identify your Life’s Purpose and Vision, then set and achieve Big, Hairy, Audacious long term Goals (BHAGs) in 2021 and over the coming years.

https://www.udemy.com/course/goal-setting-101-how-to-set-and-achieve-goals/?couponCode=NEWYEARSALE2021

Future Skills 2030-Prepare for the 4th Industrial Revolution ($14.99)

Understand the technological changes happening all around us today and the skills needed to future-proof your career. If you are considering a career change in 2021 then this course will definitely guide you as to which jobs are in and which jobs are out.

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Transform Your Life: 30 Experiments in Personal Change 2021 ($12.99)

Thirty personal growth experiments to reinvent yourself and build the life you want in 2021 and beyond.

https://www.udemy.com/course/transform-your-life-experiments-in-personal-change/?couponCode=NEWYEARSALE2021

Beekeeping: A first course for Aspiring Beekeepers ($12.99)

Designed specifically for the non-beekeeper. Explore beekeeping as a new, exciting and rewarding lifetime activity.

https://www.udemy.com/course/beekeeping-an-introduction-for-aspiring-beekeepers/?couponCode=NEWYEARSALE2021

Background to Beekeeping: Start with Why! ($14.99)

Understand in depth why you should become a beekeeper and how beekeeping can transform your life for the better.

https://www.udemy.com/course/background-to-beekeeping/?couponCode=NEWYEARSALE2021

I hope to see you on one or more of the above courses.

Very best wishes for 2021!

Tom