“The Life unexamined is not worth living.” -Socrates
Once in a while, something comes along that marks a moment we remember as having forever changed our life… a door opens, we walk through and when we turn and look back for that same opening, it no longer exists. We become different. These moments actually happen more often than we realize. We are each a work in progress. I would challenge you to ask the questions of yourself “How am I different today from the person I was one year ago? How has my life changed? What changes would I like to see happen?”
We are all on a continuous journey of self awareness and evolution. New “Truths” we may not have even recognized yesterday appear so transparent in the light of a new day. Although personal transformation rarely happens overnight, change is constant. “Change is inevitable, growth is optional.” Choose wisely.
The ending of one year and the welcoming in of a new one is an opportunity for reflection and purposeful planning. It’s a time to ask meaningful questions and ponder the answers. Questions like: Are you making wise choices regarding your career, your personal life? Are you getting the results you want?
You already know the answers… if you’re not experiencing the quality of life you want, you have the power to make changes. But remember, change is much more than an intellectual decision (although there is power in making the decision in and of itself). Change hits at the core of our being, challenging our values, our beliefs, and our mindsets. Change rocks us out of our comfort zone. Even if that comfort zone is painful or dysfunctional, it is familiar, and we don’t often leave without a struggle.
The great news is that we have the power to create the life we desire. Attached is a Strategy Guide to help in charting your course for the New Year and beyond. In working with this Guide remember the Power of Focus. Focus on the outcomes you want to achieve…NOT the problems! “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Let’s look at revising ineffective beliefs and habits using the outcome focus which asks?
- What do you want?
- How will you know when you get it?
- How will things have to change?
- What action are you going to take NOW to get it?
- What resources will you use?
Awareness and insight are important steps in the journey but without action they can cause an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. Knowing, envisioning and doing are all necessary to effect the positive change. Try the following steps when creating your master plan.
- Pay attention to what you are THINKING.
If your internal dialogue is telling you “This is impossible,” it WILL be impossible. If you’re thinking your difficulties are permanent (“I will never be able to…”), pervasive (Everything is a mess”) or personal (“I’m too XYZ to…”) you are stuck in a “problem focus” mode. Begin today to build some new patterns of thinking that will empower you to achieve your goals…and talk to me about helping with strategies and creating antidotes to the negative mind patterns.
- Pay attention to what you are FEELING.
Recognize the power of feeling—it has a direct effect on what you DO! Realize that most emotional reactions are a learned response to an external stimulus. Take a “time out” to reframe the situation and you may find yourself experiencing a new feeling (“I am grateful—this is a new learning opportunity”). This requires a conscious choice on your part to maintain the positive “attitude adjustment” even when stress rears its persistent head.
- Uncover your unconscious Core Beliefs and Values.
Is there a belief or value that is keeping you stuck? Where did it come from? Is it still useful in your present life and does it fit in with your overall theme of values in life? Examine your core beliefs and values to determine how they enable you to act with positive purpose, or reversely, how they hold you back. You may find a few outliers in need of recycling!
- Create an ACTION PLAN.
Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, says, “Most people say their main fault is a lack of discipline. On deeper thought, I believe that isn’t the case. The basic problem is that their priorities haven’t become deeply planted in their hearts and minds.” Wanting to be committed to priorities and goals isn’t enough—you must develop a strong belief that these priorities and goals are attainable—and a plan to enact them in your daily life. Without a master plan, success can only occur haphazardly. As the saying goes “If you don’t know where you’re going, don’t be surprised when you get there.” Or “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!.”
This is the time of year for creating and modifying our Master Strategic Life Plans. Looking at the year in review, you may see a course correction that needs to be made. The enemies of course corrections are self-defeating patterns of behavior, like perfectionism and procrastination, and rigid belief systems. Own your power to create the life you want and exercise the “power of action” to make it happen. Remember the power of FOCUS…What you think about, comes about!
Decide what you want to show up in your life, Notice each time it happens, and Appreciate the reality of its existence. This is The DNA of SUCCESS. It runs in the energy of every human being.