It's hard to believe that next Monday marks the beginning of March. Where has this year gone? The first quarter will soon be behind us.

Take some time between now and the beginning of next week to STOP and step outside the WHIRLWIND of daily activity -- and take a look at the goals that you set for yourself for 2010. The whirlwind can consume us -- our time, our energy and our best laid plans. Find a nice quiet location -- free from distractions, free from the email "bell", free from the ringing phone. Carve out about an hour and consider the following questions:

• With respect to your 2010 Business and Personal Goals: What key milestones were you planning to reach by the end of the first quarter?
• Are you on the path to achieve those milestones by the end of this coming month?
• Have other, more important, objectives surfaced that "trump" your original intentions for what you wanted to accomplish during the first quarter? Are you completely comfortable with that revised priority?
• What other revisions, if any, do you need to make with respect to your first quarter milestone objectives?
• What are the three most important things for you to accomplish (get done) NEXT WEEK to keep you on the path of achieving your milestones?
• What are the two or three likely OBSTACLES that might get in your way of accomplishing those tasks next week?
• What is your PLAN to mitigate or eliminate those obstacles?

Consider asking yourself these questions at the end of EVERY week (or at the beginning of each week, depending upon your preference for when you schedule your weekly planning time).

We ALL deal with the WHIRLWIND. Allowing ourselves to succumb to the fire-drills, the impromptu requests, the urgent stuff that SEEMS important and the daily "flurry" prevents us from focusing on the important and achieving our key goals and objectives.

Stay conscious of the whirlwind...KNOW when you're in it and learn to step outside of it at various points throughout your day and week. Minimize whirlwind activity during your "peak performance" time -- that portion of your day when your mental energy is at its height. Reserve your IMPORTANT activities for your peak performance time --- that is when the MAGIC happens -- keeping you on the path to achieving (or exceeding) your important goals and objectives.

All the best to your career success!