Logical Disconnections: Weekly Compass

Being recently unemployed and having recently lost my father [Here is a question: In my last post I wrote, "If you want to see his obit click here." And just now I wrote, "having recently lost my father"... I don't mean to be repetitive, macabre or seeking of sympathy. I intend these sentences to be matter of fact statements: I lost my father (and my job) in a two week span; partially my world is spinning around, partially I do not know what either of these actions means. {About losing my job I can tell you specific processes of emotions I passed through*, and because these emotions are so present and easily attributed to job loss, in a lot of ways I have yet to begin grieving for my father. I have had one bed time meltdown where I bounced between grief and anger--The unfairness of it all! (I chose purple because it was the funniest color to have thrown a fit in.?.) over losing my father and being fired, which really just disintegrated into fear and self-loathing in Roland, Iowa. I mean: How could he not be here when I got fired? I miss him (reasonable statements of grief), I am not a good father, I am a failed writer, failed husband, unemployable, an idiot, over-done-caput (which are just well-rounded self conceptions to keep around for a rainy day in your soul). Other than that one fit, which was as much about getting fired as anything, I have merely had this thought, "I should tell dad, ____. Oh, I can't." Which is not exactly a rendering of grief.} So here is that question I promised you, when does acknowledging a situation become dwelling on an intractable fact? (maybe after a 200 word digression?)] And besides: Being recently unemployed and having recently lost my father I have had my whole world spun and turned into an unexpected opportunity (Also an unexpected fear, but I have enough resources in my wife and children, my house and yard, my friends and relations, that the fear is mostly fleeting and for bedtime). Between reading parts of 7Habits, Know the Answer, and What Color is Your Parachute?, my opportunity appears to be crying out for a structured process of self evaluation and goal setting.

I have a FranklinCovey schedule book from a previous employer, in it you get a bookmark with a slide out piece of paper called a Weekly Compass. The Compass is where you answer the question, "What is the most important thing I can do in this role this week?" The compass is meant to help you focus your attentions and efforts on the activities which are most important to attaining the goals you have set for yourself. The Franklin Covey triangle is, identify Core Values, Set Goals, Plan Weekly, Plan Daily.

The Weekly Compass helps you to plan weekly, not so much to complete your weeks tasks (you are encouraged to plan there as well) but to monitor your movement towards your goals. Being newly unemployed and fully filled with last week's resiliency (see * below), here is the Compass I filled out for last week. [I have yet to fill out this week's Compass (which shows you how week 2 of unemployment ended and (this work week) began in a clear phase of feeling lost.

To start this running feature, here is last weeks Weekly Compass:

Date: 3-15-3/20 (that is actually and exactly how I wrote the date on my Compass)

Roles and Big Rocks

Role: Sharpen the Saw (this is a 4 question section at the top of every Compass, basically, "what do I have to do to be at my peak this week?")
Physical: FXB Strong and Hard
Social/Emotional: Let Go.
Mental: Identify problem(s)
Spiritual: Ease of flow 4 negative thoughts

Now there are 7 sections where you identify your Role and your Big Rocks
Role: Father
Big Rocks: To engage. To explore the world with. To assist (as opposed to, to do).

Role: Husband
Big Rocks: To remove strain, lessen burden, express openly.

Role: Writer
Big Rocks: Getting it right, doing it wrong.

Role: Job Hunter
Big Rocks: ID wants, needs, and opportunities.

Role: Person
Big Rocks: Take time outs, pauses, to gather sense of direction and identify courses.

Role: I Can
Big Rocks: The choice to opt in--even into "chaos"--is a choice to assert control.


(*Week 1 of being fired progressed through: agitation, relief, anger and anti-social desires (A.R.A2 coalesced into a 36 hour period I lovingly refer to as "crazytown,"), disbelief, depression, and resiliency. Week 2 was titled "getting focused, feeling lost" and was uncharacterized by drinking during the NCAA's, re-energizing through exercise, and failing to capitalize on last weeks resiliency. Today is the first day of week 3 which I hope will consist of action, applications, and travel, (not to mention essaying into the Digression HOF, and instantaneous blogger fame.)