For The Year 2010 And Beyond..........................

Many changes have occurred within the forest products industry during the last 30 years. In the course of my 4-year tour with Weyerhaeuser in the early 1970's, changes in our industry were slow in coming. However, during the 1990s, changes occurred at a faster pace relative to raw material profiles (quality and volume available) for mill producers, production equipment efficiencies and technology changes within the mill operations themselves. Many old outdated plants have been closed, the equipment sold or scraped, and new plants have been constructed in close proximity to the marketplace. New products have been introduced and new customers have been developed both domestically and on an international basis. These changes will occur at an even faster pace into the year 2011.

It is 2010, and now is the time for you to establish your own personal and business goals for the new decade. Reassess where you have been and where you want to go. Take some time during the coming week to review what you have done in the last year and what you'd like to achieve in 2010. What are your lifetime goals? What do you stand for and what would you like to have your friends and associates tell others about you? Imagine a day five years from now. What will you be doing? Where will you be living? What stage will you be in your career, and what salary level will you be at? What will you have accomplished during that five year period? Do you want to retire or seek a promotion within the organization where you are currently employed or possibly change jobs and advance in another organization?

Entering the new millennium is an excellent time to prepare a plan of action, both from a business standpoint as well as a personal standpoint. Develop long term goals in your mind, and write them on a piece of paper outlining specifically what your personal and business goals will be during the early part of 2010. Address near term goals to help you achieve the long term goals. Reassess where you have been and what you have done during the last 10 to 15 years. Where do you want to go with your life during the next 10 years?

Goal setting can be analogous to a captain on board his ship in a given port. The captain does not leave the port and drift aimlessly for years at sea with no specific destination. Based on the information at hand, he determines the destination, be it Seattle, or Seoul, Korea. The goal may be short term where the distance to another port is only a matter of days versus long term where the distance is a matter of weeks or months.

It is important that you write down specific goals to focus on your business and personal life, reviewing them on a periodic basis, daily or weekly. Revise when necessary. Once the ship leaves port, the captain may have to seek another port of destination other than planned, based upon factors of wind direction and rough seas.

In each case the captain has a target, an established port of destination, and has assessed the resources at his disposal, namely the ship, crew and fuel availability. He develops a strategy using sea charts to arrive at the port within a given time frame. This is definitely analogous to setting personal, family and business goals. In each case you need to assess your strengths and weaknesses, what energy you might have on board and other resources at your disposal and then target a strategy to reach these goals.

A captain is rewarded with shore leave for achieving his objective. Promise yourself a reward to celebrate the completion of each one of your goals. Maybe a trip, something for your home, new clothing, or some other personal item. Incentives are an excellent way to maintain motivation. Pictures of these rewards for you to view regularly will increase your chances for achieving stated goals. Step by step goals build confidence in an individual so it is easier to make corrections when you get off target.

Ask yourself the important question: What am I going to do today that will lead me a step closer to the attainment of my near and long term goals? Then do it. Set priorities first. Everyone is limited with a set amount of time and resources.

It has been estimated by professionals in career development that less than 10 percent of the population actually establishes goals to target their life's direction. Most people simply run aimlessly through life (like drifting in a boat at sea) without establishing specific goals they would like to achieve. Those who succeed have established goals and a plan of action for getting from port A to port B. Take the time now to actually write down on paper your near and long term goals. Separate the goals into specific areas, such as your business (your employer, type of job, new projects, etc.), personal development (health, hobbies, education, career etc.), and family (vacations, children, time with your spouse or loved one). DO IT NOW!

Take a few hours soon and reflect on what your goals are for yourself, your family and the company you are working for. Balancing goals for each area is vitally important.

GOALS / OBJECTIVES FOR CURRENT YEAR AND BEYOND

A. NEAR TERM

B. FOR FIFTH YEAR & BEYOND:

_________________________________ ______________________

Your Signature and Commitment Date

Note: Keep this goal contract in a handy place and review it weekly.