As the first decade of the 21st century comes to a close I’d like to share with you a simple, 3-Step exercise that will have you clean, clear and at Full Strength heading into 2010.
The New Year is a time of renewal. It typically brings with it new hope, new possibility, new belief and hopefully renewed focus with inspiring goals.
Yet, if you’re at all like me (and most every human I know) you’re trying to get energized about the new year while dragging around a list of “should-a, could-a, would-a’s” from the year that’s coming to a close.
It’s what we do—as human as apple pie is American (whatever that means). We start the year full of “piss and vinegar” dreams and run wild towards them. Rarely do we take a break mid-year to reassess and regroup.
Then, as suddenly as it began, the end of the year arrives at its usual time. And here we stand, unable to stop with the “damn it, almost!,” inner dialogue.
The weight of the unrealized goals and dreams drags you down. It keeps you locked in the past, unable to fully energize towards your future. You simply can’t get focused on your future goals when you’re energy is trapped in the past.
Here’s how to end that cycle, set yourself and your energy free, and get a completely renewed focus on a more brilliant future.
Let’s make 2010 an amazing, Transformative year?
The 3 step exercise that follows will release you from the past, get you focused forward and energize your soul. It’s not a long process but it is about as powerful as anything you will ever find to get your out of the starting blocks in the new year fast, strong and on pace.
Before you begin, you’ll need a pen and 3 sheets of paper or your journal handy. You ready? Great… let’s rock!
I know… for the first step you prefer to get all jazzed up about something great. We’ll get there. That’s in Step 2 and 3 but fact is most of us have a some burdens we’re dragging around and until we unload the weight and release the energy drain we can’t effectively get clear on our future.
That’s why this is the most important first step.
Fact is, we humans have a lot of amazing strengths—goal setting being one of them. But for every strength there’s a weakness and the other side of this coin is that once we make a decision to do something we don’t let go of it easily. We may have decided to wash the car a few Saturdays ago but ran out of time. Now, it’s three weeks later you know you’ve been dragging that “to do” around every minute of every day, back of mind, ever since. You don’t think about it but it’s there, draining you.
When it comes to years and goals we often set out to achieve things and come end of year they’re still undone. They’re unresolved goals and we may not even know we’re holding on to them as punishment. And we’re not about to let go.
Because we don’t let go, we push them forward into our future without ever reconsidering their value to our lives. If we invest a few minutes to assess each goal we might realize that there’s a reason we didn’t achieve it and perhaps it’s not relevant or important any more.
Without this clarity and purging we will end up piling on and on, clinging to outdated goals that keep us form achieving what we really want.
The Exercise:
On a blank sheet of paper or in your journal, write down every frustration, disappointment, or unresolved dream, wish or goal—every single thing you wanted to achieve this past year.
It can be as major as the vacation to Europe that you didn’t take down to the home movies you’ve not put to DVD. Whatever it is that’s’ weighing on your mind.
Include anything that has your frustrated or is taking psychic energy.
With all that went on this year economically it may not seem like a banner year but we’ve all enjoyed some successes. Now is the time to review your year and find them all… large and small. Where did you achieve this year? What went right?
Make a list of every reason you can to celebrate the year—even the priceless lessons and wisdom that may still be stinging.
Most of us are experts at overlooking the things we did well. You’ll be well served to make a habit of focusing on your successes, large and small.
A little self-love will go a long ways towards reviving your spirit and energy—a hell of lot more impact than all the emotional beatings your can muster. You don’t have to get out any streamers or sing your own rendition of “for he’s a jolly good fella.” Just breathe it in, feel your strengths and success then give yourself a quiet hug.
Do it now. Write all your successes and achievements down on another page.
Make this at least 5 minutes of focus. Think through the year. Make it count.
Now it’s time to get looking forward—the fun stuff.
With your past neatly compartmentalized, start an open brainstorming session for the year that is to come.
No limits! Brainstorm anything you can dream of having, being or doing. After your open brainstorm, take a 5 minute break. When you come back make an A-list of your brainstorm. Try to keep it to a max of 10 items. Make them count.
Finally, with your A-list in place, go back to the list of “incompletes” from Step 1 and compare these to your forward list. Are there things on the #1 List that still carry weight? Do they trump items in your 2010 list? And surely some will. Move them forward… replace the forward vision list with the items you want to carry forward.
The magical thing about this process is that even the items which have been “incomplete” from the past list, will take on a new life and energy. They will cease to be failures and become inspiring goals for your future. And once again you’ll have a brilliant future rather than a heavy past.
That’s all there is to it. An easy and effective way to get clear, focused and on point for the new year—to start the year from a position of Strength.
Until Next YEAR,
Stay Strong,
Shawn
Follow Me: /Twitter/shawn_phillips
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| About the Author | |
| Author, innovator and expert in Life Performance for two decades, Shawn Phillips is as respected for his physique as his wisdom. Working with his brother Bill (of Body for LIFE fame) he helped create the performance nutrition giant, EAS. For a "how to" guide to a Lifestyle of Fitness Freedom, check out Shawn's most recently instant best-selling book from Bantam BooksStrength for LIFE, called by Next-Level in Transformational Fitness, Here. |
31. December 2009 at 3:49 am
Thanks Shawn! Didn’t give myself enough credit for the year’s accomplishments… it was overall a very happy year but next year I’m going for excellence