Plan and Think Big
On Kristian’s resume it says he has an MBA from the University of Chicago. He doesn’t.
On Kristian’s resume it says he led the most profitable product launch in the history of his firm. He didn’t.
On Kristian’s resume it says he has completed 5 triathlons. He hasn’t.
He doesn’t; he didn’t; he hasn’t…Not YET! But he will.
Kristian’s resume is his resume for the future. He doesn’t have a time machine. He’s just a very motivated professional, who envisions success in certain areas in his future. Top performers plan in different manners. Here are a few reasons why this professional and personal planning approach—creating your future resume—works for Kristian and can work for you.
- Think BIG. As Brian Littrell says: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” The University of Chicago is one of the top business schools in the country and even the world. Kristian is expecting to be admitted and to complete his MBA there. Sure there’s a chance he doesn’t go to school there. But if he thinks, plans, and acts as if he’s going there, don’t you think there’s a pretty good chance he’ll end up at an impressive school?
- Set goals. Many studies demonstrate the value of goal-setting and show a correlation between those that set goals and those that stay motivated and are successful. Writing your future resume is simply a version of goal-setting that encourages you to be specific and focused on a certain time frame—elements of effective goal-setting. Like Abraham Lincoln says, "A goal properly set is halfway reached."
- Set an example. People watch you—peers, subordinates, superiors, and others. Whether you’re setting a good example or a poor example, they notice. Imagine if everyone on the team, in the company, etc. was as goal-oriented and as forward-thinking as Kristian. Thinking and planning like this will set the right example and help drive a team or culture of high performance. As David Schwartz points out in The Magic of Thinking BIG: “What kind of world would this world be if everyone in it were just like me?” You can substitute team or company for world. Set an example that’s inspiring for others.
Whether you create your future resume like Kristian or plan in some other manner, you are more likely to win if you: think big, set goals, and set an example. This works in the short-term and long term. What’s your resume going to look like in five years? What’s your resume going to look like in one year? Make it happen!