An Easy Way to 'Take Charge of Your Life'

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A Chat With Lou Major, President, Wick Communications

Now that we are well into the new century, it's about time we take a look at where we are and where we're going.

To that end, I read a really constructive book recently, titled "Take Charge of Your Life."

The author is a woman who moved from Washington, D.C. to do just that.  And in spite of those who thought she was bonkers to leave the big state and move to the bustling hotbed of the nation's capital city, Jo Condrill did just that and has had a super career as a result.

Her book virtually tells her story, or at least what she did to make it work.

It's filled with some good, practical stuff about how to virtually change the way you do things in order to move up in a career or job. Even for the person who does not work or is retired, the book has some valuable lessons. She writes in a very simple to understand style and the book is even more useful in that there are pages at the end of the various sections for the reader to fill in.

Those pages also help you to establish goals, set a timeline, keep score on yourself, figure out where the goal line is and even how to celebrate your achievements.

There are hundreds of self-help books out there and they keep on coming.

This is a little bit different because it actually allows you to keep score on yourself.

It tells you about dreaming those dreams, but being realistic about them. It tells you about when to hold and when to fold.

It tells you about partnerships with others, asking for help, forming teams.

Condrill has a great starting point for everybody:

• Establish a baseline.
• The baseline is where you are now.
  • You have a vision.
  • You have developed a plan of action.
  • You may have people to help you achieve your desired outcome. They jumped on board when you shared your vision with them.
  • You know the resources you have.
  • You know the critical success factors, things that must occur or that you have to succeed.
• You know the first step to take.

The object is to move forward from that baseline position. If something interrupts your progress, you will need to evaluate what went wrong and perhaps make some adjustments.

It is that type of approach that Condrill follows throughout the book, almost holding your hand as you go from page to page.

For anybody in any job or position anywhere, it is well worth the time to seek out this new book from GoalMinds publishers.

Copyright © The Daily News, May 21,2000, Associated Press (with permission).

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