But don’t do it yet. I’m going to ask you to do something else first.

Before you put your goals down on paper and create a plan for where you will go this year, I want you to step back and look at where you went last year. Here are five reasons why this crucial step must not be missed:

1. You need to celebrate your wins

No matter how many times I say this, I know there are still people who take it lightly or skip it altogether. Celebrating what went well last year will fuel your fire well into the New Year.

2. You need to analyze your pitfalls

Looking back at the goals you did not meet will give you valuable information about what gets in your way, so that you can avoid those same things tripping you up this year.

3. You need to measure your results

Once you have a sense of how much you were able to improve last year, you can use that number to set your sights even higher this year. It will help you stay realistic and still strive to hit that next level of success.

4. You need to look at the big picture

Examining the entire year gives you a birds-eye perspective of your highs and lows, wins and losses. You’ll see where your professional life took the forefront, when your personal life did, and how they balanced out overall.

5. You need to score your own performance

When you see how you put your skills to work, it will reinforce that those are what you need to access this year as well. Likewise, when you can identify your liabilities, you can plan to compensate or delegate to address them

Here are five self-assessment questions you should definitely answer before you set any more goals for next year. Download the Tough 20 Pre-Goal Setting Questionnaire here.

1. What went well last year?
2. What was most challenging last year? What did you learn from those challenges?
3. What is motivating you to succeed this year?
4. If things worked out perfectly, what professional and personal goals would you accomplish over the next three months?
5. What qualities will you need to accomplish these goals? For example, courage, strength, persistence or confidence.

Are you going to be like so many who burn out and give up on their goals and resolutions by March? Or are you going to set yourself up for success by creating a realistic plan by taking action now? Answer these questions, and download the Tough 20 Pre-Goal Setting Questionnaire.

If you want to start the year strong, be strong enough to be honest with yourself.

Take a few moments in the coming days to pause for just a bit. Find a quiet place to sit down with a pad of paper and pen and make some notes of your most memorable moments of the last twelve months. Sometimes it helps to start in January and work your way through to the end of the year. It doesn’t have to be a highly detailed list, just bullet-points will do. Perhaps there was the birth of a new family member, an anniversary, a promotion, a special dinner you planned with friends, a new business or great new account, a child’s graduation, a project you completed, a vacation, etc.

Once you have your year’s “greatest hits” list take just a quick moment to let the last year “sink in”. We get so caught up in getting things done that we don’t always take a moment to appreciate what we have accomplished. Take a moment to find some satisfaction in what’s happened and how you made an impact. Celebrate.

Now take another look at your list. What you have on your list can say a great deal about you. Think of your list as the start of your “report” on the last year.

Here are some things to consider about your list:

Accomplishment “Thinking”

Was it easy for you to even start the list? Do you regularly note when you experienced an “event” or “moment”? If not, then start making it a regular practice. Write a quick note in your planner or on the calendar the day it happens. Make it easy to take account of your “moments”.

Balanced

Are there just as many personal and family moments as there are work and business moments? Don’t forget to “live” your life. Sometimes we have to make plans and “force” ourselves to do things out of our normal routine. It’s great to have your list of professional and business goals, but don’t forget about your list of personal and family goals!

Looking Ahead

How can you make next year even better? What might you have accomplished in the last year if only you’d planned a bit better? What should be your Top 5 professional and personal goals for the coming year? What’s something you’ve REALLY wanted to accomplish in your life? Can you at least start down that path in the coming months?

It is the most wonderful time of the year because it’s the close of one period in our lives, but also the opening of a brand new opportunity.

You do have accomplishments from the last year. You have proven that you can get things done. But only you can turn your passions and dreams into reality, and you do that by setting and reaching even small goals. Decide what you want, what you’re going to do to get it, write it down and start doing it. Don’t take it lightly, live your life “on purpose.”

Happy Holidays!

Kate was experiencing a full gamut of emotions from shock and fear all the way to anger. She felt her loyalty to the organization had been betrayed.

Faced with this crisis in her life, Kate could have easily sunk into a feeling of defeat and kept to herself, avoiding her friends and colleagues out of a feeling of some sort of embarrassment or devastated personal pride. But soon Kate realized that she couldn’t take this decision personally – nearly 50 other employees received the news at the same time. She needed to look beyond what she felt the organization had done to her and move on. So Kate took action.

After shaking off the initial shock of the announcement, she decided she wasn’t going to be a “victim” and wait to see what happens next. She knew she had to take action. During our weekly calls over the last 16-months, Kate and I had worked together to create her “Strengths Chart”, so she had that right at her fingertips when this crisis occurred. She realized she had many marketable skills, and that if her organization no longer needed her services, it was up to her to market her services elsewhere. Kate took on a “free agent” mentality. She started calling friends and colleagues and telling them she needed help getting the word out that she was now in the job market again (after nearly 13 years).

It wasn’t long and Kate got a call from a recruiter in a totally different industry. Kate’s “network” had gotten to work. Because of her reputation, character and integrity – well known in her own industry – within days Kate was being wooed for this other opportunity.

Will she change industries to take that job? Probably not, but that’s not the point of this story. Kate demonstrated some really valuable lessons here about how to navigate through crisis and turn it into opportunity – and it all revolves around taking action.

Kate’s lesson doesn’t begin with the layoff. It begins long before that, when she consistently put time and effort into these key promotional activities:

Networking

Kate cultivated a strong network of people who know, like and trust her and are aware of her strengths and capabilities. In her professional network she puts slightly more focus on people with the most influence in her industry, but she realizes that to reach far and wide she needs to put effort into all of her professional relationships.

But what if you haven’t been focused on “networking”? I recommend that my clients work on meeting other professional people via industry meetings or through their local Chamber of Commerce, etc.

I encourage my clients to begin by first listening to the people in their potential network and thus learning as much as possible about them personally, their business, their industry, their goals and their challenges.

I challenge my clients to understand that they have one mouth and two ears – and to use them proportionately. I challenge my clients to listen and understand the “story” of the others in their potential network long before they ever begin to tell their own story.

I challenge my clients to learn a way to bring something of value to each individual in their potential network whether a business lead, a trade magazine article or connection with another professional, etc. I encourage my clients to bring that thing of value to the potential relationship without ever an expectation of anything in return. My personal experience has taught me that people will not open up or trust you until they know how much you care. Be first to bring something to the relationship.

You never know who someone will know, or where someone will end up years down the line. A network requires “work”. In the long run it will pay off.

Promotion

Kate kept in touch with colleagues and friends both within her organization and outside her organization. She knew that in order to get noticed for promotions and other opportunities, she needed to “advertise” and “promote” her achievements as they happen inside and outside her organization. She did so professionally and with grace and humility.

I recommend that when a client feels “uncomfortable” about a little self-promotion to think of it instead as “marketing”. We have all experienced those who spend a great deal of time telling us all about their achievements, their new car, how their daughter or son is a “straight A student”, etc., and that’s NOT what I’m encouraging anyone to do. Do not be a braggart. On the other hand, I challenge you to think of ways to professionally “market” your skill set within your organization and within your network. Be subtle, but direct. Be gracious and humble, but assertive. I encourage you to not be afraid to start your own “Strengths Chart”, as I did with Kate over a year ago, so that you have that right at your fingertips if ever the need arises.

I am encouraging you to let others in your organization know when you’ve met a goal or have completed professional development training, etc., by offering your services to help them achieve their goal or development objective.

Send your supervisor an e-mail offering to talk with others on your team about the professional development class you took and just completed, and how it can help them and the organization be successful. Find a way to bring things of value to your team and to your team leader – much the same way as I recommended when networking. Be visible. Be seen as a team player. Be seen as valuable.

Take Action

I run into so many people who are feeling frustrated, trapped and powerless to effect change in their own lives. It’s easy to get comfortable – even complacent – and forget to market ourselves and network with others. Who’s going to tell the rest of the world about your achievements, about the new skills you’ve developed, or about how you’ve grown as a leader? If you’re not marketing yourself – then who is? If you don’t, then you may have to settle for the boss never noticing you, or not getting the promotion, or not being prepared when a professional crisis blindsides you.

The truth is that self-promotion and networking are key business activities at any stage – whether you are self-employed, employed by an organization, working or out of work. No matter your position or profession, you are always the CEO of YOU. Networking and promotion are all about planting seeds. In a crisis, those seeds are the opportunities that can carry you through.

Make a Commitment

What are you willing to commit to getting done in the next month, by the time you open up your copy of June’s newsletter? Make that promise to yourself, and if you really want to achieve it, commit it to someone else as well.

Would you like to sit down with me for a few minutes and get started on your daily, weekly and monthly actions? Send me a message and we’ll coordinate a time that works best for both of us to focus on what’s best for you.

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing. Go For It!

If your goals are going to be such an integral part of your life, then now is the time to ask another important question: What kind of life do you want to be living?

Do you want a nose-to-the-grindstone, “Not now, son, I’ve got to take this call,” 70-hour work week kind of life? Or would you also like to maybe have some fun at the same time?

You may follow everything “by the book” and have even put “have a fun life” on your goals list, but then “have a fun life” becomes a one-line goal item and not something you fold into everything. Keeping the “main thing the main thing” means that while you’re working on achieving your goals, you’re also living the fun, creative, fulfilling life that you want – all at the same time! And believe it or not, you’re living your life right NOW, as you go; it’s not something you’re waiting for or have to earn by meeting your own high (and sometimes unrealistic) standards.

Today, I want you to think about how you can fold some fun right into your daily work and life. I want you to be excited to get up in the morning and get going on your day. Let’s get you primed to take positive actions towards meeting your goals!

Manage your mindset

Find a buddy to share your goals with, but challenge yourself to only speak positively about your progress. Don’t get bogged down by things you have no control over, and don’t focus on how far you may still have to go (just look how far you’ve come!).

Make mistakes

Take some risks and find the joy in trying something new. Don’t be so afraid of doing it wrong that you do nothing at all! Every mistake…every “try” leads you closer to success, because it’s one more thing you can cross off the list.

Mark the milestones along the way

Make it fun and rewarding to succeed and you’ll want to keep doing it. And you can apply the same principle if you’re working on a team. Set lots of short-term “mini” goals so you can celebrate more often. Yes – celebrating is mandatory.

“Fun” really does have a place on your goals or “things to do” list, but not just as a stand alone item – build it into everything. Have fun as you go, and you’ll keep everyone’s morale up – including your own. When you cultivate strong, positive feelings and find the good news in every situation, and then share that attitude with everyone around you, you will have more and bigger successes to celebrate.

That positive outlook will be reflected back to you; others will flock to be near you and will want to help you create even more success. That is the Law of Attraction at work.

YOU can make it a GREAT day!

“Someday…”

Many have come to me – lost; saying, “This is not the way life was supposed to have turned out”. So their carefully planned goals either got derailed when LIFE came in, or they have started to let life pass them by while they focused so tightly on their goals.

When setting short-term and longer term personal and professional goals with my clients, it never fails that a few “somedays” begin to weave into the conversation. That’s when I ask them to sit down and seriously begin setting goal dates for all the “somedays”. I ask them to make some plans for LIFE. LIFE is precious. Remember to LIVE and to feel ALIVE.

There’s a danger when we begin to fall into thinking that we have all the time in the world. We set goals and make plans and have the best of intentions. We work hard – for awhile. It’s not that we’re bad or lazy; we just lose steam or change directions. LIFE comes in and we didn’t plan for that.

Goals must fit in naturally to the way we live our lives. Ask yourself, how are your goals helping you become the kind of person you want to be? So you’re not putting your personal life on hold to meet your business goals and vice versa.

What have you done this past year to further define who you are and who you want to be? Are you keeping up with what’s important to you? Personally, at the end of the day/month/year, I want to be able to say I have done everything I could to be the person I want to be. I want to know I did my best, even if I just took one step.

My inspiration is my friend Rick. He’s the kind of person who lights the room up like a spark, shining support and positive energy to everyone in his radius. In chaotic times, Rick is like a calm, safe port where someone can pause and get re-centered.

When you ask him how he is, he will list off all of the ways life is treating him well – his family’s accomplishments, why he loves his job (“Mark, I’m living my dream”). Rick has taught me a lot about gratitude and about what’s truly important. Rick has taught me a lot about a lot of things.

The saddest part of this story for me is that I was never able to tell Rick just how much he enhanced my life. Rick had been battling cancer for over a year. Throughout his battle his positive attitude and energy changed very little. Perhaps because of that positive energy we all thought Rick would be able to win the battle for his life. Perhaps that’s why when I got the news about Rick’s passing I was truly stopped in my tracks. The only thing I could think of was – why? Why such a supportive and positive person? Why such a young man with such a young family? Why didn’t I take more time to tell him about the impact he had on my life? Why?

What I CAN do is honor my friend by telling you about the positive impact he had on me and to remind all of us that as far as we know, this is the only life we have to lead. Like Rick used to say to me, “I’d rather wear my body out from working, living and trying hard, than to just sit back and let time go by”. LIVE your LIFE.

Rick’s passing has brought a new sense of urgency into my life. I don’t want to postpone or procrastinate on the things that are most important to me – like family and dreams. And I don’t want you to, either.

Rick and his family can be proud of what he left behind. We all want to leave a legacy – what’s yours?

Thanks Rick.

As the seasons change, it’s a perfect time to perform a personal and professional goals “check-up”. In business, we have natural “check points” to determine if we’re on track to meet our annual goals. We have budgets, cash flow, payroll, bankers, boards, etc., all keeping us on task.

But what do we have for natural check points for our personal goals? I advise my clients to use the change in seasons as the “natural” time to do your personal goals “check-up”. That mindset helps you to remember to check in on your goals at least four times each year.

Right now we’ve got a few minutes between quarters to get you refocused on the goals you want to achieve by year-end. So let’s get
to work.

Here are just three things to consider when evaluating your year-end goals:

FUN

Yes, we’re getting to work on meeting your year-end goals, but you can also have some FUN while working on them. If achieving your goal means you must put all else in life (especially a little fun once in a while) on hold so you can WORK on that goal, then maybe it’s not realistic. Can you rework that goal in a way that lets you build in some fun? Can you join a class at the “Y” to help you work on your fitness goal? Attend a motivational seminar to help you work on reinforcing your positive mindset and attitude. Set a goal for your work team with the prize of a group lunch at a fun restaurant. Working toward your goals MUST be fun and exciting as well.

REALISTIC

I often refer to the story told by Frank Shorter, US Olympic Team Marathon Gold Medal Winner, when he describes his mindset of not thinking of a marathon as running 26 miles, but instead as running one mile 26 times. Break it down into smaller and more manageable pieces. We’re entering the 4th quarter, which is made up of three months, and each month has four weeks, etc. Break a three month goal into more manageable monthly, weekly or even daily pieces – and track your progress!

EXTRAORDINARY

I challenge you to do something once a day that “scares” you a little. Step out of your comfort zone. Be adventurous. Think and act “outside the box”. Feel alive. Have something to brag about at year end. Achieve your goal!

Take a look at the goals list you created late last year and consider if it’s realistic to think you’ll achieve all on your list. And remember…it’s YOUR list! You can be flexible. You MUST be flexible. Revisit your goals list. Rework the goals that may not be realistic. Realize that you can’t reach the goals you set unless you have a sense of urgency and have made a commitment to live your life “with
purpose”.

Take the next step

Would you like to sit down with me for a few minutes and get started on your daily, weekly and monthly actions? Send me a message and we’ll coordinate a time that works best for both of us to focus on what’s best for you.

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing. Go For It!