Q. I have three goals this year; start a business, start a family and obtain a professional certification that would help me. How do you recommend I structure my time to achieve all three?

A. I recommend you consider structuring a few panic attacks, a nervous breakdown and some other health crisis into your busy schedule, because you've packed way too much into your next year.

I work with many clients who are, like you, quite ambitious in their goal-setting. Ambitious people sometimes forget to schedule in sleep, some exercise, some human contact, going to the bathroom and picking up groceries. If you are interested in sabotaging yourself, then aim for the moon repeatedly. A surefire way to have nothing happen is to try to do too much.

I'd ask you to consider your goals in order of priority. I know you may want everything, yesterday, but if you could only have one goal which one would you chose? Once you know your priority, build your schedule around making that one goal happen this year.

In our hectic business lives, we often get spread so thin that we end up doing nothing well. If you talk to people who have been unusually successful, you'll find most of them say their secret was to do the thing in front of them with all their focus and attention.

With the advances in health care, most of us will have long lives. If you are panting to get to a finish line in your career, ask yourself what you plan to do next?

One of my CEO clients recently observed that with all the losses he has suffered in business lately he has finally asked himself what price he has paid to achieve his goals. It has occurred to him that enjoying the process is his only protection against feeling like a fool should he lose everything. Ironically, his effectiveness has soared since he has decided to enjoy the process.

You can give yourself great credit for being able to identify what you want. You can realize that it is possible to "have it all." You can take a deep breath and understand that you don't have to have it all at the same time. Lastly, you can know that enjoying the process means you can have it all in any moment that you decide to enjoy the journey, not just the finish line.

The last word(s)

Q. I work with a number of interpersonal idiots. If I use your tools, is it possible to enjoy these people?

A. No. However, if you use the tools I teach, you'll enjoy yourself more and maintain your effectiveness when you're around people you don't like.