G,S,A Analysis

Along with a group of ten other people, I spent the whole day today trying to finalize the Sexual Violence Primary Prevention Plan for the state of Hawaii. No small undertaking. In this strategic planning process, we've identified what our major goals are. We then described strategies to achieve those goals. Finally, we designated specific activities to align with each strategy.

Goals -> Strategies -> Activities. Seems pretty simple, right? Well, this process has taken about a year to almost finalize. And we're still not quite finished.

I got home today and it occurred to me that this process might be beneficial for me to do with my own life. Especially at a time when I am in major transition, and feel like some things going on are fairly concrete, while other things are pretty out of control.

Knowing how long it took us to do this for the SVPP Plan, I thought this would take me a couple of days to do for myself.

But it didn't. It took me all of one hour. I guess I've always known what I've most wanted from life, but have maybe been afraid to express it.

I'm not afraid anymore.

Goal: Happiness

Strategies: Attain/Maintain and Integrate
1) Family 2) Community 3) Career

Activities:
1) Family
a) maintain and grow relationships with J&C, M&J
b) grow relationship with companion/intimate partner
c) kids ? - still not sure about this one, but I think so
2) Community
a) grow relationship with core friends
3) Career
a) continue to provide technical assistance in epidemiology/public health
b) engage in community activities and intervention
c) become a mobilizer of social change in the health field
4) Integration
a) remove desire to compartmentalize aspects of my life

That's it. My logic model to achieve my ultimate goal - happiness.

And just like when people I work with say things like "Well, where are we going to find the funding to do that activity?" or "How are we going to get this small detail accomplished?"....First we have to focus on the big picture that we want directing us. Once we have that laid out, we worry about the details as they come. Of course, we don't want to bite off more than we can chew...meaning, we don't want to write a plan that is so far-fetched we'll never accomplish it. But given a realistic plan, the action steps for each activity take time and depend on so many factors at the time of implementation, that while we could plan for every possible scenario, we really have to be patient and slowly make our goals a reality. Because ultimate it's about sustainability.

So I have my work laid out before me. And that is what I want directing the activities I choose to take on in this life.