One Thing You MUST Do Before The Year Closes
How many times have you started a new year by setting new goals because you were really committed to having the BEST. YEAR. EVER?
And then… a few days into the new year... shit happens:
- A friend invites you to their birthday party… there goes your "dry January" out of the window…
- You overdo it in the gym and can barely walk for the next two days… so you drop the whole gym idea...
- An emotional crisis happens… you quickly default to some retail-therapy and totally blow your spending budget for the month...
If you recognise this… you’re not alone.
How To Set Yourself Up To Win In 2020
Many years ago I discovered an important process that has allowed me and my clients to grow and improve performance every year continually.
It’s called Best Year Yet.
Best Year Yet is about reflecting on this past year’s wins, reviewing lessons learned then setting goals and resolutions for 2020.
Unfortunately, that’s where the problem begins.
Although many people set goals and plans for themselves, most don't take the time to celebrate their wins.
When you have your head down working diligently on building your career, family and life, it’s very easy to overlook celebrating your wins – especially the small less obvious ones.
You just keep pushing yourself, forcing yourself to keep driving on using more and more energy and of course, another year just grinds on by.
This can actually cause a lot of unnecessary negative emotions and negative mindsets.
Not taking the time to celebrate your wins is a BIG mistake.
Why?
Allow me to explain...
Neuroscience is showing us our brains are not very good at keeping a tally of our wins. Research (Amabile and Kramer, “The Power of Small Wins”, Harvard Business Review) supports this finding.
Our brains are quick to forget the small victories along the way, so we don't celebrate them as successes. That can turn into a very poisonous mental state because we're delaying our gratification.
We forget to congratulate ourselves for all of the actions we take along the way. This mistake can kill our motivation dead in its tracks.
Potentially it can kill the dream and cause us to abandon it altogether.
If we strive for big wins and forget that along the way, as we set goals and as we take actions to move towards this bigger vision, we're growing and evolving and making strides as a person.
Believe it or not, you might have forgotten about some of the awesome things that you've achieved this year. Your brain will be more consumed with what you haven't achieved yet.
The Power Of Positive Focus
In a study, done by Shawn Achor, at KPMG in 2008, right before the busiest tax season in recent history, managers in NY and NJ were invited to create a positive habit of focusing on the good (wins, gratitudes, positive experiences) and sustain it for 21 days.
Four months later, in April, the group that received the positive training and did the habit showed significant increases in productivity, lower stress, and higher engagement levels.
Their happiness scores moved up on average 5 points on a 25 point scale compared to the control group.
Do yourself a big favour before 2020 and do this one discipline.
Why not flip the coin and do something a little bit different here?
Instead of racing your way into next year, capture all your WINS....then from that energy....from that mindset, you can charge into 2020 with confidence, clarity and a deep knowing that you can create your best year yet.
Spend time going back over the year and think about some of the amazing things you've been, done and accomplished.
Take the time to relish the memory of that awesome experience you created. Science is showing us it doesn't matter how small it the win was. Celebrating it will still release the good feeling neurotransmitter of dopamine.
Today that changes...
To help you I would like to give you a copy of my little eBook "Your Best Year Yet" and accompanying video training (above).
All you do is follow the 3-step process... and you'll be guided step-by-step to create your best year yet plan so you set yourself up to win.
The best part is, it is totally free, no need to give me your email address to get it.
(click on the image for immediate download)
- You will get the 3 big-picture questions which will set the scene for designing your best year yet.
- You will receive a step by step powerful action planning process which you can begin implementing immediately for real, lasting, positive change!
- By the end of the planning process, you will have the critical mindset shift required to ensure this is your best year yet, no matter what happens.
I know you will get tremendous value... it's my little gift to YOU!
With the New Year right around the corner, there’s no better time to take advantage of this.
1 hour + 3 questions = Best Year Yet
Follow these 3- steps:
- Download your copy of Best Year Yet and print it out ready.
- Watch the short (11 minutes) "how-to" video on this page to learn how to get the best out the whole planning exercise. I cover some important distinctions that help you get the most out of the experience.
- Schedule an hour over the holidays and follow the 3-step process to get closure on 2019 and set yourself up to win in 2020.
“If we would only give the same amount of reflection to what we want out of life that we give to the question of what to do with two weeks’ vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days.”
- Dorothy Canfield Fisher
So... as 2019 draws to a close, I’d like to thank you for all the support you’ve given me and wish you and your family a happy holiday and a prosperous New Year.
Lots of love.
Colin
P.S. Please pass on and share (via the social buttons) my Best Year Yet eBook with your friends, family and work colleagues. Help spread the word. Thanks :-)