Take These 5 Steps Now To Crush it in the New Year

---

As we get into December and the last month of the year, it's a great time to set things up for success in the new year.  Just about everyone knows that they can get better, but the biggest challenge is where to start?  What do you actually need to do to set yourself up for future success?  

Here is a 5 step plan to follow that will put you on the path to success in the new year.

1.)  Know Who You Are and What Guides You

Who are you?  What do you believe?  What do you stand for?  These are questions that most people never think deeply about in their lives.  On the surface, they think they know the answers, but when they dive deep into who they are and what they believe, most of the time they find the real answers to be much different.  

So, how do you learn who you truly are?  You ask a lot of questions - but start with defining your principles and your standards.  What are the principles you will live by and not sacrifice for anything?  What are the standards you will live up to in your life.  Principles are you foundation, your core.  Standards are how you maintain that core in your life.  For example, one of my principles is to act with integrity.  One of my standards is that I will carry myself as though my daughter is watching me in all situations.  This standard helps to ensure my integrity principle in my life.

2.)  Discover Your True Passion

What are you deeply, truly passionate about?  What makes you excited in anticipation like a kid waiting for Christmas morning?  What truly invigorates and excites you?  You're answers may be surprising.  I never thought that one of my deepest and most important passions would be loving to teach people, but it is.  And I use it throughout my businesses.  It brings me deep satisfaction to help someone discover how to get better or create success in their lives.  What are truly passionate about and how can you maximize it's impact in your life and the lives of others?


3.)  Set Goals with Milestones

Once you understand who you are with your principles/standards and what you are deeply passionate about, it makes it easy to decide where you want to go.  But, in order to get there, you need milestones - things to strive for.  In running Ironmans, the final portion, the marathon, is typically the toughest part for people.  After all, you are doing it after a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike ride.  The best advice I ever received was not to focus on running a marathon - it's too overwhelming at that point - but instead to focus on running to the next aid station, fueling up, and the to the next one and so on.  The aid stations are the milestones and each one you make it to, the closer you are to your goal of finishing.  It is the same with your goals.  Once you know where you want to go, you can set the big goal for yourself, but then you need to break it up into your milestones, your personal aid stations.  

And remember, people overestimate what they accomplish in a week and underestimate what they can accomplish in a year.  Focus on getting the next milestone and you be amazed at how fast you can get to your larger goal.

4.)  Write Down Your Goals with Milestones and Share Them

The next logical step once you have your goals and milestones is to write them down, so you have your plan.  But, most people don't take the most important step and that is to share them with those that can help your achieve them and that will help hold you accountable.  No matter what, to get to your goals, you will need help in some form or another, so sharing your goals will open up those opportunities.  But, most importantly, you will put it out there for others to see and help hold yourself accountable to what you are going to do.

5.)  Set Deadlines and Execute

Lastly, you need to set deadlines in place and start executing.  Deadlines are important as they are set in stone.  Don't use time frames because "time frames" are expandable and let your weasel out of hitting your milestones and goals.  Of course, none of this matters unless you act on your plan and execute - so get rid of any excuses and resolve to act every day toward your next milestone.

This simple 5 step exercise will help you know yourself better, identify what really matters, your true goals, and ensure you act on them.  All you have to do is take action and follow it.  Here's to your success in the new year!