Whether or not last year was an amazing one for you or you fell woefully short of your expectations, I am sure you have some new plans. I am sure you have crafted a new vision for what you would like this year to look like. If per chance, you have not yet crafted a vision for this year, I suggest you and get it done.
Otherwise, you can almost guarantee that this year will end up being a mediocre one.
What are you going to change? How will you ensure that regardless of how last year ended up for you, this year will be even better?
We know that traditionally when the calendar changes over, as arbitrary as that change is, most people see it as opportunity to to start anew and make progress. Yet, the end of the year rolls around and what do we see? For many, they are still in the same place they were at the beginning of the year.
Why do you think that is?
Could it be that in their desire to change, people take on way too much? Do they look on their lives and then decide on a laundry list of things they want to change? Then the excitement and euphoria of the New Year’s celebration wears off, and they find the process of changing so many things at once tedious if not overwhelming?
Maybe the change itself didn’t have enough motivational juice?
Think about it—what are some of the goals or resolutions many people have at the beginning of the year?
They plan to eat healthy, they are going to quit smoking, they want to lose 10 lbs and so on.
Now I am not suggesting that these aren’t worthy goals. The challenge with them, I believe, is that they are not very inspiring. They only tell you what you are not going to get or what you are not going to do.
They don’t focus on what you are going to get. Focusing on what you are going to get as a result of a change is far more invigorating.
Perhaps though the reason why people spend an entire year not experiencing the very change they are so desirous of is the fact that they are just not as as committed as they need to be in order to make the change.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying—“Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.” Everyone wants to achieve high success but not everyone is willing to pay the price. There is a high price to pay in terms of commitment.
The end of the year can look very different from the beginning. For that to happen, you have to make a strong personal commitment to change. You have to demonstrate a willingness to do whatever it takes to follow through on what needs to be done.
I think too many people stroll passively thorough life. They are intrigued by a whole slew of possibilities and opportunities but are not in the least committed to making any of them a reality. And while a change in the calendar represents a jump off point— place from which you can write a new chapter in your life; perhaps though, the single biggest commitment to change you can can make is to deliberately work on your change process one day at a time.
So, what if January 1st was everyday?
In other words, what if everyday as you woke up and rolled out of bed, you viewed the day—regardless of the failures and frustrations of the previous one; as a chance to start over again. A chance to make the necessary changes to get it right or at least to do better. What if you were to start each day of the year with the same level of excitement and positivity with which you started January 1st?
What do you think?
Do you think that would make a difference in your day?
Would it affect your accomplishments for the year?
Do you think it would improve your outlook and your attitude towards life?
Believe it or not, everyday does represent a chance for you to commit and recommit. Each day presents an opportunity for you to work harder on the changes you need in order to make progress. Someone once famously said, “ Each day, as is a brand new beginning upon which to draw and color you dreams.” Your challenge is to embrace that.
Keep On Pushing!