Saturday, December 31, 2016

How to set New Year's Resolutions that will stick for 2017


As a new, New Year's Eve tradition, why not consider celebrating with a blank sheet of paper and a few targeted questions to help you make 2017 your most prosperous year ever?

If you're like me, goal setting can seem like a daunting task.  You know it's essential to identify what you're aiming for if you're actually going to hit your target.  But what if that mark is a little fuzzy or, by setting an path too rigid, you feel that you may miss the larger picture?

Struggle no more.  Here are two incredibly powerful yet elegant exercises that provide very different frameworks for setting your life goals and New Year's resolutions - and ones that will actually stick!



#1:  The three most important life questions: 
  • From the book, The Code of The Extraordinary Mind by Vishen Lakhiani.
  • You need to watch the 13 minute video to get the full explanation, but you’ll have the three life changing answers at the end as he guides you through the exercise – have a full, blank sheet of paper and pen ready – the exercise itself is super quick, fun and insightful.You can try this on your own, with a spouse, business partner and your employees if you have them (will reveal their core motivators).
  • Here’s the link - http://thecode.mindvalley.com/courses/create-a-vision-for-your-future/pages/2.  You’ll need to be registered as a user, so do that first – create a free account – and then paste the link.

#2:  Tony Robbins – New Year, New You Motivation
-          A summation of his tips:
o   Change is automatic, progress is not.
o   You need to raise your standards – it’s your daily rituals that create lasting change.
o   But your goals need to be compelling – can’t just be, “I want to lose 10 pounds”.  Needs to be, “I want to get back to my fighting weight – and here’s why…”
o   If you do “this” it will cost you xyz.  If you don’t do “this”, it will cost you xyz.
o   Question – how are you identifying yourself?  Once you lock in with an identity, your brain finds a way to keep you there.  What’s your story?
o   Are you willing to expand your identity of yourself?
o   Once you raise your standards, you have to back them up with daily rituals.
o   Failure is not a giant event.  It’s where you missed all the little things.  Or, with success, where you did all those little things.
o   POWER QUOTE:  There are two pains in life – the pain of discipline and the pain of regret.
§  Discipline weights ounces.  Regret weights tonnes.
o   QUESTION:  What area in your life right now, do you really want to improve?
§  STEP #1:  Be specific.  Write down what your life is like in that area as specifically as possible. Write the truth of where you are right now.  What are your beliefs?  How is it really?
§  STEP #2: What are the rituals that have put you there?  Be really honest.  Whatever results you’re getting – even if you don’t like the results – there’s some ritual that’s keeping you there and in that place.  There’s a bunch of little things you’re doing.
§  STEP #3: What do you want?  What’s you’re compelling vision?  Be specific.
§  STEP #4: What are the rituals that will get you there? What would you need to do differently each day to get what you want?  What would you need to do each day and at what time?  Willpower doesn’t last, rituals do.  Just do two or three new things.

Here’s to your prosperous 2017!