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By the time you read this we’re a few months into 2013, and a good portion of the year is already gone. How’s it going so far? How are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions, if you made any? Are you on track to achieve your personal and professional goals this year? If you’re not on track, these ideas will get you on track and caught up. If you are on track, these ideas can help you achieve your goals even faster and go even further.
Keys to a Highly Successful 2013
- Why do you want to have your best year ever?
Before you take on any endeavor, you have to know why you’re doing it. This one factor will determine whether or not you are successful. What are you capable of if you set your mind to it? Pretty much anything, right? So in order to wake up every day driven and motivated to do what must be done in order to achieve your goals and dreams, you must have powerful reasons for doing so. Find your why in positive reasons for achieving your goals and negative consequences if you don’t. The start of all great achievement is a burning desire in your heart and soul that simply must be fulfilled.
- Have goals and a plan
You’ve heard it a million times but this is still the biggest factor that the most successful people on the planet attribute their success to, so, if you haven’t done this yet, do it! The top three percent of people on the planet have goals, a plan for their achievement, and they work on those goals every day. They are worth more in financial terms than the other 97 percent combined. You don’t need a huge list of goals in each area of life with elaborate plans for their achievement, in fact, the simpler you can make it, the better. At a minimum, pick one major professional goal and one major personal goal, put a simple, straightforward plan together, and take action on both goals daily.
- Do what you must do
Now that you know why you want to have your best year ever and you have goals and a plan, it’s time to get to work. Not tomorrow, not later today — now! The most successful people are people of action. They don’t put things off and they rarely hesitate once they have decided upon a goal.
You must work on your goals every day whether you feel like it or not. You must work on your goals when you’re tired, sick, and beaten down. Should you rest occasionally? Yes. Should you take a vacation and have balance in your life? Yes. But assuming you have the burning desire necessary to achieve your goals and dreams, you will pick yourself up in the most tiring and difficult times and press on. Anything worth acquiring in life usually requires that we work hard, get uncomfortable, and face some fears.
Also, contrary to popular belief, will power does work. It’s simple, you’re either going to eat that donut or you’re not based upon a simple decision that your parents, the economy, or your relationships have nothing to do with. Speaking of that, I give you another point….
- Stop making excuses and giving up control of your life
Over the years I’ve heard every excuse as to why people don’t achieve their goals. I’ve heard reasons related to health, emotions, past traumas and negative events. People blame the economy, other people, and bad breaks growing up. I have two words of advice: Stop it! Assuming you are reading this right now and comprehend it, you have no excuses.
Once you hit the age of 25 you are responsible for where you are in life. While a 13-year old can blame his or her parents and a couple other outside factors for their present position in life, anyone 25 or older can go no further than the mirror. The faster you “get” that you determine your outcome, not the economy, your parents, or your boss, the quicker you will grab control of your life and live it on your terms. If you continue to blame others and outside circumstances, you will be a victim, and the things you don’t want will continue to show up. You are responsible, you are in control, and you decide where you end up.
- Follow Winston Churchill’s advice
You remember his advice, right? “Never, never, never give up.” Another saying is, “Quitters never win and winners never quit.” If you hang in there long enough, you’ll make it. Life is simply a game of deciding what you want, developing a plan to get it, taking daily action on that plan, seeing what works and what doesn’t, and adjusting your approach until you get to your destination. Even a ship is off course 99.9 percent of the trip. The captain simply continues to get feedback and course corrects until the ship lands safely in harbor.
You can do, be, and have anything you want, but it’s going to take hard work and sacrifice. The question isn’t can you have your best year ever, the questions are: Are you willing to put in the time, effort, energy and money that’s necessary? Are you willing to give up the excuses and other crutches and pay the price for success?
