Make the 2020’s Great Again
How was 2020 for you?
All of us are walking out of this year a little bruised and beaten. Honestly, I think that's ok. It's only made us stronger. I know for myself this year was incredibly difficult, but also provided me with so much space to grow and learn. I am so grateful for that.
This year has set us up to achieve INCREDIBLE things in 2021 (and beyond).
My wish for you is that you get out ahead of next year. When do you usually start doing your "New Years" goals and planning? Usually after Christmas, during that weird "what day is it" week between Christmas and New Years Day? Are you ever really ready to jump start on your goals at that point? How have those resolutions worked out for you in the past?
Here's my proposition: Get a month's head start.
Start planning NOW for the greatness you want to achieve next year. And, not only that, but start taking ACTION on that plan. Here's how we're going to do it:
How to Start 2021 Right
STEP #1: WRITE IT DOWN
- I want you to physically get out pen and paper and write down your goal and what actionable steps you can take right now to achieve it. The next month is going to be important. It will give you the time you need to plan out what needs to happen for you to succeed. There is something powerful about taking pen to paper. It doesn’t feel so non-committal. It feels real and permanent. Check out this article on why writing things down makes all the difference.
- Only write down a goal you know you will be willing to put action towards. No empty promises here. You write it down, you take action TODAY. Now I'm not saying you need to be perfect here, but what I am saying is you need to stop complaining about things not happening for you if you aren't willing to take steps towards the solution. If you are unhappy with something in your life and you want it to change, yet you are taking no steps to change it, you have no right to complain.
- Stop writing these in the "I want to" or "I wish" way. That type of language has no confidence or meaning behind it. Your goals are now written as "In 2021, I will _____". Make a statement with it! Be confident in yourself! For example “I will get promoted in 2021” not “I want to get promoted in 2021”. The way you speak about your goals to yourself matters. It’s not enough to want to do it. You have to believe you’ve already done it. It’s already secured. Now you’re ready to take action.
STEP #2: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
This one hurts. Taking responsibility. Oof. That's a sucker punch to the gut. We don't like to admit to our shortcomings, even if it's just to ourselves. The problem is, we will NEVER grow if we don't learn to accept responsibility for ourselves. Hell, I'd say the most successful people out there, the ones who achieve everything they want to and grow the most as people, even take responsibility for things that aren't even their fault. If you read books like “Can’t Hurt Me” by David Goggins or “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, you’ll see this as a recurring theme. It sucks in the moment, but you know what happens next? You learn how to prevent a ton of mistakes, even those that you haven't made yet (especially if you watch and learn from others and accept the fallout from those decisions). Next time something comes your way, you're extra prepared and you know how to handle it. You become the solution rather than the problem.
STEP #3: FINDING YOUR WHY
So you've written down your goals, created a plan of action, and learned what your shortcomings are. Now what? This is something I learned a few weeks ago. Take another piece of paper and number it 1-5 (or however many more you want) leaving a few lines between each number. Write down why you want to achieve your goal on number 1. On number 2, ask why you want that. On number 3, ask why you want that. Etc. etc. etc. For example:
1) I will lose 30 pounds in 2021 because I want to be healthy.
2) I want to be healthy so I can run around with and play with my kids.
3) I want to be able to run around with my kids so we can do more things together.
4) I want to do more things together so we can make memories.
5) I want to make memories so we have a good relationship with one another.
6) I want to have a good relationship with them since I never had a good relationship with my parents.
7) I don't want my kids to have the same relationship with me as I had with my parents.
Once you can't get any farther, you've found your why.
Not going to lie guys, this one gets tough and a little emotional. But once you figure out the real reason you want what you want, it's going to be really hard to quit on it.
