Creating the Best Year of Your Life
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
As we look back at this year, a lot of us feel that we didn’t accomplish much. It’s like Groundhog Day with more restrictions, more uncertainties and less direction than what we were facing last year. Many of us feel that we are languishing rather than flourishing. What can we do to end this year well and set the right intentions for next year?
The following questions can be looked at once a year, once a month or whenever you're looking for some direction in your life. I invite you to take a good hard look at your life more than once a year.
You'll get a lot more out of your life if you're more intentional about the life that you're living.
These questions are designed to help you to reflect on your accomplishments this year and to formulate the new year from a clean slate. By working on the following questions, you will complete this year powerfully so you can have the “mind space” to build your masterplan for the new year.
Looking at this year:
1. What do I want to be acknowledged for?
2. What did I accomplish?
3. What did I want to accomplish that I did not accomplish? (Do I still want to do this?)
4. What did I say I would do that I didn't do? (Do I still want to do this?)
5. Who do I need to be in communication with?
6. What were my biggest disappointments?
7. What did I learn? - List 3 lessons which will make the most difference if you remember them this year?
(See them as guidelines for next year).
Changing patterns:
1. How do you limit yourself and how can you transform these actions to be powerful?
2. What do you say to yourself to explain your failures? (These false beliefs are your limiting paradigm).
3. List your limiting paradigm.
4. What new paradigm do you want to shift into? (Ideally, your new paradigm is personal, positive, in the present tense and clearly stated, pointing to an exciting and hopeful future)
5. Consider living out your new paradigm daily. Write it down in a place where you can see it often. Read your new paradigm aloud first thing in the morning and before going to bed each day.
Looking ahead:
1. What are your personal values? What is most important to you in your life? What drives you?
2. What roles do you play in your life? Rate each role on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most important.
3. Where is your life out of balance? If you could put one problem behind you, once and for all, what would it be?
4. Which role is your major focus for next year? (In what role do you want a breakthrough performance? If you could put a check mark by one of these roles at the end of next year showing that you felt good about how you are playing that role, which one would it be?)
5. What are your goals for each role?
The following is an excerpt from Michael Hyatt’s book titled “Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals:
“1. Set Your Goals Set seven to ten goals you want to achieve for the year. Make them SMARTER: ‣ Specific ‣ Measurable ‣ Actionable ‣ Risky ‣ Time-keyed ‣ Exciting ‣ Relevant Make sure you focus on the Life Domains where you need to see improvement. List just a few per quarter; that way you can concentrate your attention and keep a steady pace throughout the year.
2. Decide on the Right Mix of Achievements and Habits. Achievement goals represent one-time accomplishments. Habit goals represent new regular, ongoing activity. Both are helpful for designing your best year ever, but you need to decide on the right balance for your individual needs. The only right answer is the one that works for you.
3. Set Goals in the Discomfort Zone The best things in life usually happen when we stretch ourselves and grow. That’s definitely true for our designing our best year ever. But it runs counter to our instincts, doesn’t it? Follow these four steps to overcome the resistance: Acknowledge the value of getting outside your Comfort Zone. It all starts with a shift in your thinking. Once you accept the value of discomfort, it’s a lot easier going forward. Lean into the experience. Most of the resistance is in our minds, but we need more than a shift in thinking. By leaning in, we’re also shifting our wills. Notice your fear. Negative emotions are sure to well up. Don’t ignore them. Instead, objectify them and compare the feelings to what you want to accomplish. Is the reward greater than the fear? Don’t overthink it. Analysis paralysis is real. But you don’t need to see the end from the beginning or know exactly how a goal will play out. All you need is clarity on your next step.”
“Is this next year just going to be another year, not that different from the rest, or are you going to make this your breakthrough year?”
-Michael Hyatt
Let’s work together to get that clarity on your next step and start walking towards your breakthrough year.
Speak to me before 15 Dec for a special price of my coaching program.
