(SNAP!!!!) And just like that the holidays are gone, and the new year/decade is ready to welcome us with open arms.
This is the time to plan and set goals, and set yourself up to absolutely crush it next year, right?
Uhhh…. Maybe not.
For most people, the turning of the calendar each year probably either feels like nothing at all, or like a swift kick in the ass they’re not prepared for.
And you want to know why?!?!?! Because most people are going through the motions of life and will do the EXACT SAME CRAP they did last year!
✔ Same boring job they hate
✔ Same unfulfilled relationships
✔ Same lack of awareness or clarity
✔ Same lack of desire
✔ Same lack of belief in their ability to live a great life
To all of those things, I say NO FREAKIN’ THANK YOU!
BUT… because you’re here reading this, you’re either all-in on the UNCOMMON Life mission, or you’re at least interested. So, I know you’re not looking for any of those things either – you’re looking to crush 2020!
Well, today I want to tell you about my three step process for closing out each year, so you can implement something similar and set yourself up for the success you want.
Evaluate
The first thing I do in my end of year process is I evaluate my losses. Some may think that it’s counterproductive to kick things off on a “bad” note first, but I’ve always been a “give me the bad news first” kinda guy.
What can I say, I like to finish on a high note. Know yourself, and do the steps in the order that fits you best.
Speaking of knowing yourself, I HATE not achieving a goal I set. But, what I hate more than not achieving the goal, is giving up on one, which is exactly what typically happens when people don’t take the time to evaluate why they fell short.
So, for the things I did not accomplish, I go deep on figuring out why. Feedback is food for growth – if you don’t have it, you’re going nowhere in life.
Maybe I just bit off more than I could chew, and need more time. Maybe priorities changed, and other things took precedence. Or, maybe it turns out that the goal wasn’t that important after all.
No matter what the reason is, I want to get clarity on why I came up short, so that I can figure out my next steps.
Celebrate
Admittedly, this was and still is one of my biggest struggles – but I’m getting better at it all the time!
For most high achievers, celebration tends to be a struggle. Because of that, I have to make it a huge priority to do regularly throughout the year, but definitely at the end of the year.
Why is celebration so important? Well, first of all, because you’re a total and complete freakin’ rockstar that does amazing things in this world that need some “CELLLLL-A-BRATION” (<< singing it out in my best Kool & The Gang voice!!!).
You gotta remember, not everyone is trying to live this UNCOMMON life. In fact, very few are. Which means, that you’re likely doing things that are way more impactful that you realize or give yourself credit for. So celebrate it.
The other reason celebration is crucial is because if you don’t do it, enough will never be enough, and you will end up on a hamster wheel of achievement.
Your brain will actually become conditioned to this pattern and alter it’s production of the hormones related to excitement and gratitude, which will make it almost impossible to celebrate even if you decided you wanted to.
So, definitely take the time to celebrate.
Create
Intentionality and proactivity – if you don’t know those two words, you better memorize them. Those two action words are what separate the UNCOMMONERS from the commoners.
For most people, the new year signifies more of the same.
But, we’re not most people round these parts! Therefore, we don’t do things like them.
For us, the new year means the start of a new journey. There’s more growth to be had and impact to be made.
So, after we evaluate our losses and celebrate our wins for the year, our minds need to shift to the future, and we need to get into creation mode.
Remember, an UNCOMMON Life is a lifestyle, not a destination. And we make no bones about the fact that we are obsessed with being the best versions of ourselves (read more about that here).
Again, most people take life one day at a time. They don’t do any advanced planning outside of vacations. But, success is in the preparation. The football game isn’t won during the 60 minutes that the teams are on the field. It’s won during the week of preparation leading up to it.
The same applies here. You don’t create your version of the UNCOMMON Life by waking up and flying by the seat of your pants every day. I don’t care how hard you go, if you don’t have a plan in place, you ain’t gettin there!
So the last step in this process is whipping out good old pen and paper, and spelling out the What, Why, How, and When of your goals for the year.
I’d love for you to share your goals for the new year in the comments.
Putting it all together
It’s crazy to think that the end of 2019 is here, and that a new decade, let alone a new year is upon us. As you look back on 2019 and start planning for 2020 (assuming you actually take the time to do those things), make this the year that you do things differently – UNCOMMONLY!
I want so badly for this next year to be the best year of your life. But in order for that to happen, you have to be willing to do things differently than you’ve done them in the past.
Remember, winning is in the preparation. If you really want to prepare well, go through this 3-step process. First, evaluate your losses to figure out what the issues were, and how to move forward. Then, take time to celebrate your wins – this step will change your life! Lastly, sit down and plan for 2020. No more just going through the motions of life and accepting things as they come. UNCOMMONERS create their lives (it’s even here in the manifesto)
If you take the time to do these 3 things, I promise that you’ll begin to see your life change before your eyes, and you’ll be well on your way to creating and living your best, UNCOMMON life.
If you’re looking for a little extra help with planning for 2020, I’d love to hop on a complimentary coaching call with you and learn a little more about what you’ve got going on. Click here if you’re interested.
Be UNCOMMON!
