Is This New Year a Second Chance?

Article in brief: The writer explores the lure of new beginnings & follows through on the piece in the December Issue. This article is about taking the time to prepare for the year ahead and will leave you with a sense of awareness of the importance of taking ownership and focusing your attention on a few important goals that are in line with your life purpose. 

With the start of another year comes the hope of a fresh start and the lure of new beginnings. A chance to forget the past year’s disappointments and an opportunity to make a clean break. It is a reminder of our power to become the people we wish to be and lead the lives we’ve always imagined for ourselves.

Take a moment to reflect on the past year, take stock of your life and take responsibility for all the good, the bad and the ugly from the quality of your relationships to the state of your health, income and feelings – everything! Stop blaming others, circumstances or the economy, and stop making excuses.

For 2015, let’s do things a little differently; let’s make a conscious effort to focus our energy and activity on creating the life that we want beginning with taking 100% responsibility for our life, Jim Rohn said “You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.” For us to have the outcomes we desire we must change our thoughts, habits, the books we read, the food we eat and the people we associate with the most.

In my quest to identify what makes some of us more successful at realizing our dreams I have read many books such as “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield, “Unlimited Power” by Anthony Robbins, “The Four Hour Work week” by Tim Ferris as, as well as listened to countless interviews with visionaries, thought leaders, business tycoons and executive coaches such as His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sir Richard Branson, Warren Buffet, Robin Sharma and many more.

All of them essentially carry the same message; they started by being clear on what they want and took the time to understand and identify it, then pursued that with focus, passion and enthusiasm. In Brian Tracy’s words “Decide upon your major definite purpose in life and then organize all your activities around it.”

I have summarized the experts’ advice from my research into simple steps and key points to help you make this your biggest year yet.

1. Identify what you want. Write it down and make sure you know why you want it and that it’s in alignment with your life purpose.
2. Prioritize the items on your list. Pick the top three and focus on them only. Once completed you can go about achieving the rest with more confidence.
3. Re-write the three goals or dreams in the present tense as if they have been achieved and in order of their priority with number one being the highest and three the lowest. Be as explicit as you can about each item using all your senses to describe it and set a realistic due date for achieving it. Pick a date that has an emotional connection such as your birthday, your wedding anniversary or your child’s birthday. For example: I am so happy and thankful that I weigh a healthy 65 kilograms and feel fit and healthy on my 35^th birthday today the 24^th of October 2015. The black dress I am wearing fits beautifully and it’s so wonderful to receive all the wonderful comments from my family and friends.
4. Take each item from your list and break it down into five specific actions that will move you closer to achieving it. The secret is in repetitive and sustained action that will get you the end result you desire. For example elaborating on the previous example: Walking 20 minutes every morning. Eating five small healthy balanced meals. Drink 2 to 3 liters of water. Stop eating after 7 pm.
5. Focus on activity, activity, activity. Keep working on number one until you achieve it. Visualize it every morning and evening before you go to bed and give thanks as if you have already achieved it.

I wish you all the best and pray that 2015 be your best year yet. May you start it off with a bang and celebrate all the little victories along the way. May it bring you new memories, achievements and the successful realization of your dreams. I believe in your infinite potential, and I am confident that the moment you decide to take full responsibility for your life, your brilliance will shine through as greatness is your destiny.