Next year is here. Finally.
That dumpster fire that was 2020 has been sent packing. Good riddance I say.
A shiny new year is upon us. Three cheers for 2021!
But hold on. Was has changed other than one number on the date?
If you want to take control of the new 365 days that you just were awarded, now is your chance.
Be Different
If you want different results, you have to start doing things differently.
It is a brand new year. Which is the perfect time to begin. Map it out. What is the first thing you need? The second?
What new knowledge do you need? Where is it or who has it?
Gather your resources. Do you completely comprehend what you need to do this year?
This same time next year, when you look back on 2021 will you be happy with the results? Take these things into consideration.
Ready
If was me, I’d write out a plan. Break it up into steps or chunks. Assign those to a calendar. Delegate the things you don’t know how to do, don’t want to do, or don’t have time to do.
Planning is a key step to doing anything differently, as it helps you take stock of the situation. Talk to your suppliers, employees, and customers.
What do they think? Can their wisdom impact this year for you?
Aim
How do you know what you want to do will be successful? When you just winged it previously, how did that go?
This year, think about how you can measure success? What does victory look like? How about failure? What happens if your results are in-between?
Remember, “you can’t manage what you don’t measure.”
Even if it is how many days in a row you are trying.
Aiming is all about describing the target. Knowing that it is over there on the horizon. Detail the work that you need to do this year to achieve the results that you crave.
What do you need to do?
Fire
Implementation is the difficult part. Everyone knows it.
Showing up for the work is the hardest part of change. Will you show up?
All over everywhere, people are joining gyms and starting their new year resolution-based health goals. By April how many will still be doing it?
What about September?
The changes you want to make this year are the same way. Plenty of people start strong in January. In later months this year what words will you use to describe your success?
You have to stick to it. Consistency breeds success.
Be Ready For This Year
Don’t get discouraged.
This year will have plenty of setbacks. Things won’t go right. You will make mistakes.
Guaranteed.
It is 100% ok. Failure is part of success. That’s where the learning comes from.
I want you to visualize an archer shooting arrows at a target. With each shot, the archer can make slight adjustments until the arrow lands dead center in the bullseye.
The shots that were not successful teach the archer how to correct for the next shot. Your unsuccessful efforts work the same way.
This year, learn from what doesn’t work and make those adjustments until you succeed. But where many people fail is in giving up too soon.
Like that archer, keep adjusting your shots until you reach your goal.
This Year:
Hire slow.
Fire fast.
Innovate.
Listen.
Communicate better.
Try new things.
Build better processes. Processes are better than goals.
Take that trip.
Read more.
Spend more time with your family, your customers, and your staff.
Know what is important.
Measure.
Collaborate.
Simplify.
Use better technology.
Ask more questions.
It’s “how can we do this?”
Document.
Take action.
Have fun.
Surprise people.
Focus on the end result.
Deliver on commitments.
Get feedback.
Prepare.
Eliminate.
Plan ahead.
…and lastly, for this new year,
“Start now.”
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
“Failure is the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford
“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers
