Embrace Change: Your Key to Unleashed Success

Embrace Change: Your Key to Unleashed Success

According to Einstein the definition of insanity is “doing the same things over and over but expecting different results”. He could not be any more accurate.

Most people feel they need to wait for the new year to step back, reflect on the past year, and make plans for the coming year. But why wait? What kind of year do you want? What results are you looking for and where do you want to be at the end of the coming year? These are serious questions that you need to answer for each of the five Success Elements: Head, Heart, Health, Wealth, and World. And the truth is, you can reflect and make plans at any time.

How can you possibly expect your results to change if your thoughts and your behavior do not? Understanding where you want to end up is one of two keys to making this your most successful year yet. The second, and most important key, is making changes. We all need to make changes—some small and some large. To paraphrase Einstein’s definition: your life will not change if you do not first change.

What might you need to change? That is a question that only you can answer but let me help stimulate your thinking by mentioning a few broad categories.

Time Management

Time is a valuable resource for everyone. How are you spending yours? 

Take a Time Audit: Spend a week tracking how you spend every hour of each day. This will help you identify areas where you can cut back on non-productive activities like excessive TV watching or video game playing. 

Prioritize Your Activities: Rank your daily activities based on their importance and impact on your goals. Focus on high-impact activities and plan them into your day first. Could you invest more one-on-one time with your spouse or children, strengthening those bonds? What about taking a class or seminar to help educate yourself on investing and money management?

Evaluate Your Relationships

Are your friends supporting your goals and dreams or standing in the way? 

Perform a Relationship Audit: Evaluate your circle by listing your closest friends and determining whether they contribute positively to your growth. 

Set Boundaries: If certain relationships are draining or detrimental, it might be time to set boundaries or distance yourself. Do your friends have the same interests and goals as you? These are tough questions, and you may not like the answers. Only you can decide, but supportive friends that want to help you on your success journey are invaluable. Surround yourself with mentors and like-minded individuals who inspire and challenge you to be better.

Align Actions with Goals

Are your actions in harmony with your goals? Almost everyone will tell you that their families are one of the most important factors in their lives, but are you giving them your focus and attention on a regular (i.e., daily) basis? 

Schedule Family Time: Make your family a priority by scheduling regular family activities and sticking to them. Show your family how important they are through actions, not just in words. 

Create a Vision Board: Visualize your goals and post them where you can see them daily. This constant reminder can help align your actions with your objectives.

Consistent Actions: Small, consistent actions towards your goals compound over time and yield significant results.

Take the Leap

Make this your best year yet. Decide now where you want to be at the end of the year. 

Goal Setting: Break down your big goals into smaller, manageable steps. Create a timeline with milestones to keep yourself accountable. Determine this month what changes will most impact the quality of your life and those dearest to you. 

Face Your Fears: Write down the fears that are holding you back and tackle them one by one. Most fears are only obstacles in your mind. Take a deep breath and make the changes. Remember, change is only scary before you make it; afterward, you end up asking yourself, "What took you so long?" 

Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate your progress, no matter how small, to keep you motivated throughout your journey.