Hello!
In my 20 plus years in the military, I have discovered several things that helped me finally crack the code in my productivity.
I had to figure out what ACTUALLY worked for me. Personally, I must write things down and have a clear plan of what I need to do, and when to do it. Some people, like my husbnd, can make it through life without a detailed plan or constantly writing things down. That is not me and I embrace that!
If this sounds like you, you are in the right place! I want to help you achieve your goals with more clarity and less overwhelm.
Imagine taking the time to craft your ideal week. What does it look like? Do you feel like you are making progress? Are you moving the needle toward who you want to become? How do you feel at the end of your work day?
Having an idea of where you want to be and making a strategic plan for your goals every quarter helps you break down what needs to be accomplished every month, every week and everyday.
What is Cultivated Excellence?
If you define cultivate, it means to acquire or develop a quality or skill. We all have our own idea of what excellence means, but it is defined as “the condition of surpassing standards of expectation.”
The ability to cultivate excellence is completely up to you. Much like growing a garden, you have to tend to it regularly, give it what it needs to grow, prune it, protect it from negative elements, and keep a positive attitude as you wait to reap the fruits of your labor.
Why I created a planner for you
I have several memories from before I was commissioned where as a young Airmen I needed more guidance and mentoring, but sadly, I was not receiving it. But let me share a quick story from a more recent time when I first began my career as an Air Force officer.
I was literally drowning from the fire hose of information as I onboarded into a new program office. I needed reminders of what I should be focused on. I needed to keep track of important meetings, trainings, projects and so much more.
To be honest, imposter syndrome was at an all time high for me, so I tried figuring it out on my own and avoided asking for help right away. When I finally did reach out to a few people in my leadership, no one had a system or tool for organization that could help me in the way that I needed it. I couldn’t believe it!
I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised because my boss at the time was “all over the place” and stressed out all of the time, which stressed me out! I knew that was not how I wanted to be, so that’s when I decided I needed to figure out a system that worked for me—a “cheat code” to stay on track.
Over the course of 2 years, I created a planner to solve a problem that I had, but I also know that I am not alone in this struggle.
If this story resonates with you on any level, I believe this planner will help you too!
The layout
You begin by capturing all of the big goals and events you have on the “year-at-a-glance” page. I love having a big picture view of the whole year so I had to make sure it was in this planner.
When you flip the page you will find the monthly calendar with prompts to focus your attention. You will have sections to capture major projects, major events, major deadlines, training to accomplish, and potential volunteer/leadership opportunities.
I don’t know about you but I like seeing my week at a glance and having the ability to jot things in as they pop up. This page also has a space for you to record the routines you would like to focus on.
To keep you on track throughout the day, you will utilize a 2 page daily planner. Not only can you time block and plug in your tasks but it also guides you everyday using my BRAG method to focus on building relationships, recognize your strengths and weaknesses, ask for what you need, and capture what you are grateful for.
I think it’s a great way to start your day with intention by picking a word/phrase to keep you focused. There is also a spot at the top to write out your top 3 focus areas/goals for the day and a place to write out the tasks you want to tackle. I also threw in a water tracker to keep you hydrated!
At the end of every day, week and month there is a review for you to reflect and make sure you are on track.
In the “cheat sheet” section, there is a place to record contacts and resources. There is also a place to record your meeting battle rhythm. Being new to an organization, things like that, will come in handy.
There is so much guidance built in to help you stay focused and accomplish your goals. I really hope you enjoy it and utilize it to the fullest!
Support along the way
If you ever need help mapping out your quarter with strategic goals to help you achieve what you want and help you become who you want to be, I hope you will reach out to me for a 1 on 1 call to walk you through setting up your planner and talking out a strategic plan for your career.
I also have a newsletter that is sent straight to your inbox periodically, with tips to support you throughout your process.
Thank you!
I appreciate you! And I am rooting for you to cultivate excellence and create the life you want!
Join us on our journey to get the Cheat Code planner into more hands! Support the kickstarter and get this luxe quarterly planner for yourself and/or a friend or your subordinates!
It is the perfect gift! It comes in a beautiful blue gift box with a gorgeous gold pen (it writes so smoothe!)
Click the button below to be notified when the kickstarter goes live and get sneak peaks of the planner and behind the scene footage!
