How you end this year will determine how poised you will be for greatness in the coming year. Your actions in the next few days as the year ends will mean the difference between starting strong and fumbling.
Have you ever seen a runner fail to start a race well? How did that turn out? You are right; no matter previous records, the high expectations for that athlete…fumbling at the start most definitely impacts negatively on overall performance. You are an athlete; how you start determines how well your race will go.
Related reading: 4 Ways to Finish the Year Strong
REFLECTION
Many of us do not bother reflecting, or thinking deeply about our lives. We don’t weigh what’s happened to us, the reasons behind our impulses. We don’t spend time asking one of the most important questions in the world. We don’t ask ‘why’.
I have always believed that if you do not think deep, you cannot soar high.
As you end this year, you need to spend quality time (no less than 120 minutes) in deep reflection. I’d like to share my reflection process…
First the precautions
I turn off all distractions (TV, Phone, Alarms, Alerts etc). There is nothing more annoying than constant distractions when you are in ‘mission control’.
Then, I get my pen and journal to capture my reflections. The things I reflect on are:
- Things I am grateful for. Gratitude is such a powerful tool. It puts life in proper perspective and helps you see your glass as half full and not half empty.
- Write out the major lessons learned from my experiences, projects, relationships, investments etc. There is so much to learn in every moment of life; even when you are all alone. The lessons you learn from your own experiences are the most powerful catalysts for an extraordinary life.
- I maintain that ‘opportunity does not make appointments’. On account of this, many of us miss out on amazing opportunities because we were ill prepared and unprepared. As I reflect, I identify missed opportunities. As you know hindsight is 20:20; so these may not be too hard to identify. Did you miss out on a catalyst relationship? Did you miss out on a client? A romantic relationship? Don’t forget to ask ‘why’ and capture these reasons as well. This way when a similar looking opportunity presents itself, you are better able to identify it and grab it.
GATHER
When an eagle is about to start a family it starts to gather all the tools it needs to build a nest. Do you gather the tools for the coming year in advance as you prepare for the year? You should!
So, what should you gather? I will tell you what I gather…
I gather the resources I need to help me achieve my goals. Sometimes I may not have the resources in hand, I may have to learn something to activate this resource. So I take a note of what I need to learn to activate the resource, this goes in to my ‘to do’ list. You may need a book, a certification, an equipment. I know for my next year I need a new studio background. What you need depends on what you do for a living.
Another important thing to get a handle on is your Co-Collaborators or Co-Creators for the coming year. Do you have a plan or project? Do you need to work with someone to bring the dream to live? You need to get a list of these people. You also need a strategy of getting them onboard with you on the project.
I have a number of mentors; Og Mandino, Zig Ziglar, Napoleon Hill…you know…! I do have living mentors too, one of whom is Darren Hardy. His book The Compound Effect turned my life around in no small way. Darren says (an I agree) that “The accomplishment of any goal is the progressive accumulation or compound effect of small steps taken consistently over time”.
So when you start to gather, you need to gather those building blocks or interest elements that will yield your Compound Effect. Is it regularly ‘sitting for ideas’, weekly yoga classes, a structured savings plans. You need to know what the elements for your compounded success are.
I also gather Motivators. These are visual, audio or even human resources that I can look up to to lift me up when my motivation wanes. I collect stickers by known artists, authors, coaches; I make up motivational quotes of my own (that’s how I came up with “opportunity does not make appointments”). Another major motivator is my vision board. Anticipate feeling down for it will happen, but when you have motivators like sign posts on your way, you will be able to keep moving towards your goal.
Watch one of my [living] mentors Robin Sharma talk about 8 Steps to winning in the new year…
VISUALIZE
Now you need to actively begin visualising the coming year. Think of this as casting a fishing net into the ocean complete with bait. What you have set in motion in your reflection and gathering will serve as bait to get you a big catch.
I visualize in two ways.
a. Cast my vision by creating a vision board. This is a visual representation of my highest aspirations and goals for the coming season/year. I have found this powerfully effective plus it helps when I need encouragement to stay the course. I recommend it to you.
b. Goal Setting. I set goals that stretch me out of my comfort zone and are congruent with the vision I see of my life. I recommend going a step further and add actionable plans to the goals that you can work with (along with all you have Gathered) to make your year outstanding.
They say that insanity is doing the same thing year in and year out and expecting a different outcome. I agree.
So I recommend that you approach the coming year differently. Try these simply power tasks to end the year well AND guaranty success in the coming year and see what happens. What have you got to lose?
Do you have any power tasks or rituals you engage in to ensure you end your year well? I would be glad to learn what you do and how effective it has been for you. Comment below or send me a direct message.
