- Know what you want and where you are going. Start by creating a list of personal and professional goals for yourself. What do you want to celebrate having accomplished this time next year? What milestones would cause you to say that 2015 was truly an amazing year? Do yourself a favor here and think big!
- Create weekly and monthly checklists of what you are going accomplish during those time frames. Compare those lists with your yearly plan to ensure that you are moving closer to your goals instead of further from them. New studies suggest that crossing off tasks from a list releases feel good hormones (dopamine) into our system creating a real sense of accomplishment and a job well done. It’s also a great way to end the day.
- Make adjustments to your business and personal plan every quarter. Things will happen during the course of the year that will change the course of our plans. Be flexible when required and allow yourself to deviate from your plan if necessary.
- Re-Charge your battery. Our brains and bodies are not designed for a 24/7-365 work life. Make sure you are taking time to unplug from the matrix and connect with your own personal energy sources to keep motivated, focused and ready to fight the good fight everyday.
- Ditch the negativity and naysayers. It’s simply a fact that in order for you to grow and evolve into the person or leader you plan on becoming, there are certain people that will not support you. Unfortunately you will be forced to disconnect from those people. In order to soar to new heights you will likely need to cut loose some dead weight. Clear out your closets, get rid of anything or anyone that has out-lived it’s use-by date. Start this year with a clean slate and begin designing your ideal life.
- Take care of yourself. I’m not suggesting you become a “gym-rat” or start a “vegan diet.” I am suggesting that you start taking care of your body and treating it in a way that firmly announces to the world that you really care about yourself. Start eating food that grows somewhere instead of being created in a processing plant. Drink plenty of water, get a good night’s sleep, and take a walk around the block every once in while. You will feel alive and energized when you start taking care of your most valuable resource…YOU!
- Take 30-60 minutes each week to work on your business instead of in it. Our lives and our jobs have a way of forcing us down into the weeds, and there are many times that is required to be successful. It’s also a good idea to step back and look at how you are conducting your business and your life. Think about your vision and strategy, make necessary adjustments or “Quarter Turns” to ensure you are hitting the mark. Work smarter instead of simply running faster on the never-ending treadmill.
- Take the time to Focus on “Something Good” in your life or your business every day. Recent studies on happiness and well being suggest that having an attitude of gratitude around everything you have in your life vs. focusing on what you do not have, creates an overall sense of contentment and well-being and allows us to perform at peak productivity.
- Control the Conversation you are having with yourself. Thoughts are things, so make sure your thoughts are the rights ones by continuously asking yourself the following question. “Is this conversation that I’m having with myself right now moving me closer towards my goals and outcomes or taking me further from them?” If the answer isn’t the right one, then shift the conversation to one that is positive and productive.
- Enlist the help of others that will support you in your endeavors. Trusted advisors, Coaches, Colleagues, and Friends aren’t impressed or intimidated by your titles, are 100% committed to your success, and will call you out on your BS (belief systems) without bias or fear. No one has ever accomplished anything great without the help and support of others, and you are no different. Asking for and accepting help when you need it isn’t a sign of weakness, but rather an indicator of intelligence.
Thoughts for the New Year
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice.” ― T.S. Eliot,
“Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.” ― Brad Paisley,
“As the year comes to an end, don’t look back at yesterday’s disappointment. Look ahead to God’s promises yet to unfold.” ― Buky Ojelabi
I have no way of knowing how people really feel, but the vast majority of those I meet couldn’t be nicer. Every once in a while someone barks at me. My New Year’s resolution is not to bark back. — Tucker Carlson
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” ―Edith Lovejoy Pierce
“Against the wind, I’m still running against the wind, I’m older now and still running, against the wind” –Bob Seger
Here’s to making 2015 your best year ever and as always if you ever feel as though I could be of assistance to your and your endeavors, please do not hesitate to ask.
Cheers to your success
One Quarter Turn at a time!
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