It’s Time To FORGET Resolutions And Goals!!!

Why, you may ask?

Simple. They don’t work. At least not collectively. The words seem to have lost any real meaning, speaking again collectively.

The reason they’ve lost their power is that we generally do not connect the necessary action steps to go with them.

As for me, I use the word OBJECTIVE because it automatically invites me to create strategies to acheive the objective. While objective tends to be more connected with the business world, it can easily apply to our personal lives as well.

What word you use matters not as long it helps you create actual action that moves you consistently forward.

REVIEW THE PAST

Reviewing our past year can also influence the coming year better than setting New Year’s resolutions and goals.

Why is this?

Maybe it is, as philosopher George Santayana said, and Winston Churchill alluded to, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

It may be simpler, such as reviewing your past year will help you create focus and clarity for this next year.

Instead of making empty goals and resolutions (or even objectives) that often create no significant action, I suggest dedicating some intentional time, 30-60 minutes should do, and review your past year using the following questions as a guide.

Spending this time, focused and distraction-free, will offer valuable insights to create a more fulfilling, joyful, and productive year ahead. It will also empower you to create the action steps and/or strategies to move consistently forward.

Be open and honest but don’t beat yourself up about. This is a simple exercise designed to help you move forward, not dwell in the past.

NOTE: The questions are deliberately written in the first person, as you will be asking them of yourself.

YEAR IN REVIEW QUESTIONS

First, look at what you wanted to accomplish. This is where you look back on goals, objectives, plans, etc. that you achieved or did not achieve. Both are insightful and important to recognize.

• What were my three main objectives I wanted to accomplish this past year? Did I accomplish them? Yes or No? Why or Why Not?

Next, consider what you learned. This could be lessons from mistakes or opportunities, challenges or successes.

• What three key things did I learn this past year? What am I doing with what I learned?

Next, look at what you actually accomplished. Maybe you changed directions or took advantage of unexpected opportunities.

• What three key things did I accomplish personally and professionally this past year? What was my motivation or reason?

Now, take an honest look at what challenged you. Pay attention to the challenges within your control and those not within your control. Again, be honest and open but don’t kick m too hard.

• What three key things challenged me most personally and professionally this past year? What did I do to handle the challenge?

Finally, take a look at how you are using your time. This step is designed to literally look at the many different things you do and then ask yourself if you are the best person for that specific task. There are tasks you are doing that only you are capable of doing or you are the best one suited to do them. Conversely, there are tasks that can and should be delegated, outsourced, and/or removed from your list. A good way to complete this exercise is to make a list of all the things you do daily, weekly, and monthly, then indicate if that task should be done by you or delegated, outsourced or removed.

• What tasks consume most of my time on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis? Who should ideally do these tasks? What task should you Delete, Delegate, or Delay?

PSYCHOLOGY OF THE POWER OF THREE

You have noticed each question comes with a suggestion of three responses.

This is intentional.

I call it the “Power of Three,” a principle I learned years ago and have now adopted as a personal guide for my Time, Focus, and Energy.

What Matters Most
What You Can Control
What You Most Enjoy

There’s a little psychology behind the concept of three, according to Sean D’Souza on Psychotactics.com. “The brain finds it relatively easy to grasp threes… Push that marginally up to four and the brain gets confused about where to look and what to do…”

Part of this lies in our childhood, D’Souza asserts. “As a child everything you did and learned seemed to be centered around three — A,B,C; 1,2,3; Three blind mice, Three Musketeers, Trinity, Three Stooges and Huey, Louie and Dewey (Quack! Quack! Quack!).”

Three is easy to process. It’s focused and finite. This will be especially helpful in the reviewing and analyzing process. It will also be helpful for planning as we will explore next week.

READY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT???

Reviewing your past year will be incredibly helpful in making your next year better. If these ideas connect with you, take the 30-60 minutes and do something about it.

If you would like some help, I offer you a few options.

1. Red Edge Mentoring: The Mastermind – This free Facebook group is full of daily #RedEdgeCheckIns, trainings, and engaging conversations.
2. Red Edge Strategy Workbook – Receive a free copy of Strategic Planning Using The Power of Three. It contains every question we covered today, plus a whole lot more. Drop me an email to receive your free copy.
3. Red Edge Live – Every Thursday at 10 a.m. MST I am live on Facebook interviewing leaders, authors, and entrepreneurs as well as sharing a few stories of my own ideas. Click here to enjoy a Red Edge Live where I elaborate on these ideas.
4. Red Edge Strategy Workshop – This three-hour monthly workshop designed to give you dedicated time to focus on your business and your life is always held the second Thursday 3-6 p.m. in beautiful Logan, Utah (stay tuned for in-person workshops coming soon to the Salt Lake area). Drop me an email for more details.

There you go my friends!

Have a great Monday! Thanks for letting me share.

Les

p.s. Take 13 minutes today to review these questions and see if they have earned the right for another 30-60 minutes.

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PERSONAL PROMISE PROCLAMATION

The Story You Most Consistently Create Yourself Will be The Story To Most Consistently Come True In Your Life. Intentionally Create A Beautiful, Powerful, Wonderful Story!

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Discover how you can better use the persuasive power of your story to better influence yourself and those you care about by scheduling a complimentary “Gain the Red Edge” mentoring call.

Click this link to schedule your complimentary call