5 actions to take to have a great 2018! -

Happy new year! Did you set your resolutions? Did you make goals? What is inside you stirring, that person you want to be, the things you want to see happen in 2018?

Here is my take on making commitments, resolutions, vision boards and talking about the things you want to have happen and see in your life…I hope you’re sitting. You may not like what I have to say.

Throw the new years resolutions out! Keep the goals and the initiatives you want to create though and yes keep the vision board…but those resolutions are useless…but goals, are way more compelling.

To me resolutions are declarations, whereas goals are more about what you want to accomplish.

I feel it is more powerful to say, my goal is to quit smoking, but when you declare that as a resolution, the language is not as powerful. When it is a resolution, you might say I resolve to quit smoking…

The dictionary defines having resolve as having made a decision to do something. “I resolve to quit smoking”. That is great, but it is a decision, it is an attempt at solving a problem.

Whereas, having a goal is more about having an end in mind. It is the destination you want to accomplish and see have happen.

I put my bets on setting goals over a resolution. If you prefer resolutions, that’s cool, I am not here to make you wrong.

But set those goals too!

Then set weekly actions you can take to achieve the outcomes you want.

Now, if you truly want to have a great 2018 ahead, here are 5 actions you must take to achieve that aim!

Set your goals! Put them on paper post them up on the wall in your office, so that they act as a constant reminder

2. Break your goals down into mini actions or steps you need to take to achieve them! This is vital to achieving the things you want to see happen this new year ahead. If your goal is to launch a new business initiative, state it, determine what it is…then break it down into steps to get there!

For example if you want to host an event, think of all the components involved in hosting an event, you need a location, catering, print material/marketing initiatives, an online social media marketing plan, to book speaker, promote your business at the event, maybe get sponsors and choose the date. In fact, there are probably other actions you need to take, but the key is to put that goal on paper, then break down the actions you need to take. Once you begin to take actions, the goal you want to see happens, begins to take shape…momentum happens, you feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment too!

It becomes exciting!

3. Have an accountability partner. Ask a colleague or friend to hold you accountable to you being in action and for you to brainstorm through the challenges! Having someone, who gets you and someone to help guide you for 30-60 minutes a month is key to you achieving what you want in 2018.

4. Pace yourself. Set goals, make plans, but be realistic about the time frames, actions and costs involved. Work within your budgets, make sure you are leaving yourself enough time to get things done properly. Really choose to be realistic about making things happen in a time frame that makes sense.

The process of launching a new initiative, taking off weight, quitting smoking, takes time, it is long term, you will come against challenges, you will bump up against your negative self-talk, or your mind might lie to you, that is okay not to do the actions you need to take in order to reach your outcome.

The key is to pace yourself and put metrics in place when you feel like giving up. This is where a buddy or an accountability partner can help.

You can also treat yourself to something in place of taking an action that sabotage’s your progress. Step back from taking a wrong action, and go do something fun, or distract yourself with taking a totally different action!

If their is an urge to eat that cake or smoke that cigarette or not take actions towards a new work, business or personal initiative, step away from it and breathe, take a walk, go to the gym, see a movie, have a walk in the park. The key is not to succumb to that inner dialogue that throws you off track!

5. Visualize your success. Studies show that when you visualize the things you want materialize.

Take Dr. Lee Pulos. He suggests; That you harness the power of visualization.

Visualization has helped millions of people achieve goals. And it can be the most powerful tool for achievement you have ever used. It gives you the power to identify and obliterate roadblocks to progress. It makes your path to success so real that you can almost feel it, hear it, smell it, as well as see it in the mind’s eye.

Top athletes use visualization, top entrepreneurs use visualization as do top sale reps, leaders, business owners, companies, thinkers and those that are making a difference.

This is why we have a vision statement in our business plans.

For example, one athlete that takes visualization seriously is Russell Wilson. Russell Wilson is the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks…

In an article on the power of visualization written by Dr. Joe Dispenza, he states that Wilson’s success is intertwined with his ability to visualize.

Dispenza writes, “The key to Wilson being a winning quarterback in NFL history over the first three seasons of a career is the uncanny accuracy of what Wilson visualizes compared to what actually happens.

“That’s something that I tried to pride myself on. I think any great player has to be clutch,” he says. “And I’m always trying to be in that moment, always trying to be there in that space … I think it’s a mental space that you have to be in. You have to. You can’t shy away from those moments.

“It’s something that I try to rely on and just try to visualize myself being in every week.”

Since he was in grade school in Richmond, Virginia, in the early 2000s, Wilson has been visualizing the plays and scenarios he is convinced he’s about to see in games. And far more times than not — 41 times in 54 NFL starts, in fact — what he’s seen is what he’s gotten on his way to victory.

“He’s kind of taking it to another level that the elite guys are able to do that,” Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said of Wilson’s visualization method. “A lot of times we talk to our players about doing that, but some guys do things a little bit differently, handle it a little bit differently. And he’s just special in that area.

“He can see it. He can visualize it, and he puts himself in those situations many times. Even before the season starts, he puts himself in those situations. He goes through those plays, he’s watching tape. And after he’s done watching tape, he’s going back through it in his mind.”

Dr. Joe Dispenza is highly known for his work in psychology, success, visualization and he was featured in the documentary, “What the bleep do we know”!

I strongly believe that if you follow these 5 actions this year, 2018 will be a good year. May this be the year where you make happen what it is that is stirring inside you.

From what I am hearing from other personal development experts, 2018 is the year to make the moves you want, the time for thinking about it is over!

Connect to your heart, your joy and your why (passion) and go create great things!