I don’t know about you all but I am fired up to be back at work. Why you ask? Because we are habitual creatures. We thrive on our habits to get us through the day. When those habits are interrupted we lose focus and can feel lost. Who else felt that way over the holiday break? I know I did and got myself into trouble (like buying shit I shouldn’t have, eating more than I should have and then getting sick). Awesome, right?
Okay, before we dive into 2018 goals, I always like to take a look back and reflect on the year. Here are the top 3 lessons I learned in 2017:
Most of us have big, scary, amazing goals (great!), but goals (i.e. talk) is cheap unless you are willing to choose your struggle and commit to the daily habits necessary to meet your goals. This was really clear to me during my Ironman training. I had aggressive goals, but stayed focused on the daily activities that led to it. I had clear objectives and goals and clarity around exactly what I wanted to accomplish at my Ironman events, so I pushed hard each day. We must continue to create that structure for ourselves and our companies. Provide clarity for yourself and your team. I mean, get crystal clear on the goal[s] and then create a cadence of accountability in your company around the goals where you talk it, walk it, measure it, and celebrate it. DAILY. Vison? I could talk about that all day. But I hadn’t been as focused as I thought I was on the daily activities, the daily habits in my organizations. Just one of the things that I identified that I could take to another level.
Your words and actions matter. It’s the honor that Ned Stark (Game of Thrones, anyone?) had and realizing that our words (which dictate our actions), our honor, and our integrity are all that we really carry with us when we die. We will be remembered by what we said, what we did, and how we made people feel. What legacy do you want to leave? Maybe it’s just that I’m getting older, but really understanding that we are all going to die and that it is not a morbid thought, but one that should inspire us to live each day full-out. Life is precious. There are no guarantees. Knowing this, what changes would you make in your life? Make those changes now! Live it now!
Snowball your money and investments. Warren Buffet shared this simple business advice. We all get one snowball in life and the earlier you start rolling the snowball, the larger it gets. The better the snow, the larger the snowball gets. If you invest $100,000 and earn 20%, you snowball your money so that next year you make 20% on $120,000 (or $24,000). Year three, you invest $144,000 and you earn $28,800 and so on. But this also works in business. Invest all you can back into your people and operations and look for growth, then more growth. Keep your foot on the gas and before you know it (usually 5-7 years)… BOOM! You’ve hit your geometric curve. The snowball is built. But don’t stop snowballing! Keep doing the same process driven habits that created your success in the first place. Focus on the process that got your snowball going. And remember, the hardest part is getting dressed to go outside! Just do it.
Did you see a pattern here? Daily actions. Daily habits. This past year really opened my eyes to just how much each day matters. Now it’s time to execute. Every choice you make (no matter how small it seems at the time) is either getting you closer or further away from your goal. You are alive! Do not take anything for granted. Spend time on the most important activities (the process driven habits) and you will create a life and business without limits.
Now, how about those 2018 goals? What habit[s] are you willing to put into your life to change the outcome of 2018? Change your daily habits and you will change your trajectory, and ultimately your life.
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Aim your life toward your highest purpose. Reach the greatest levels of success, inside and out.
