First of all, let me start by saying Happy New Year.! It is hard to believe that we are already in the second week of 2016. I hope that the year is off to a tremendous start for year. As a highly sought after empowerment specialist, this is the time of the year that I get inundated with all types of requests for coaching, mentoring and goal setting. Everyone is excited and ready to attack the year. Many people even make bogus resolutions that never get accomplished. Please listen to me carefully. I am not discouraging you from making resolutions. However, I am encouraging you to make a plan for success in 2016. When the hype of the new year fades I want you to have a clear plan that you can work and produce wins in every area of your life. 2016 will be the product of the plan that you create right now.
1. Instead of making a resolution make a commitment this year. Last week I was having a conversation with a men-tee of mine. He was talking about his goals and I was giving him some pointers to help manifest those goals in 2016. Then the conversation shifted. My men-tee asked me what my resolution for 2016 was. I told him I don't make resolutions. He was listening intently. So I thought this was the perfect opportunity to teach him a success lesson. As a leading empowerment specialist and award-winning leader, I have never believed in making resolutions. In fact, I would advise you to stop make resolutions. I can hear the outrage from some of you reading this. However, as someone that has achieved massive success, resolutions have never helped me produce results in my life. Instead of making resolutions I make commitments. Commitments are powerful because they require the investment of time and energy. It does not cost you anything to make a resolution. However, when you commit to your goals you are accountable and you are empowered to accelerate your success. A greater life starts with a commitment.
2. Stop trying to live your life off of adrenaline. I want to let you in on a secret. High achievers are not successful because of ambition or aspiration. High achievers are successful because they know how to intentionally attack their goals. It is a secret that I have used for years. Most people have started 2016 with a great deal of excitement. I tell my clients all the time that the adrenaline will fade quickly. Some of them laugh now because they have been coaching with me for years. They know exactly what I am talking about when I say avoid the adrenaline trap. You see many people are in the gym, starting diet plans, enrolling in all types of programs and investing lots of money in making their resolutions a reality. However, what I know from experience is that the adrenaline rush you feel right now will quickly die. In a couple of weeks you will go back to life as usual, the gyms will empty out, diets will be broken, courses will be dropped and people will fall back into the same habits. While this may seem a bit negative, this is the reality of what happens to most people year after year. You cannot live your life off of adrenaline. You have to learn how to attack your goals with focus. It takes more than emotion to produce evolution.
3. You cannot afford to be distracted this year. I always say that distractions are always assigned to disrupt your destiny. One thing you can rest assured of is that you will face new pressures in 2016. It is a fact of life that we should be prepared for. If you will remain in the right position nothing can move you off of the path of success. Most people allow the smallest of issues to rob them of significant moments. We become blinded by temporary circumstances that we give permission to threaten change in our lives. You have to develop relentless focus in 2016. What does that mean? It means you have to come to a point in your life where your desired outcome is more important than any destiny obstruction. You cannot afford to give your attention to anything that pulls you into old seasons and cycles. This is the year where you must declare enough is enough. Close the door on everything that doesn't move you closer to your destiny. The distractions you master will determine the desires you manifest in 2016.
4. You have to get clear about your vision. So many people have asked me about the key to success. While there are many components that go into creating a successful life, I cannot think of many that are more important than having a vision. It is great to have goals, aspirations and desires. However, the problem is that many people have no vision for their lives. They go through life defeated because they have no sense of direction. They think that success is just going to magically fall into their laps. Many people live year after year defeated because they awake every single day without a clear aim. If you don't have a target for your life you will live trapped in cycles of frustration, loss and defeat. It is vital that you live your life with a clear vision. Vision gives you something to look forward to. In addition, vision gives you the ability to see your life in the proper context and to find something precious in every cycle. Vision forces maturity in your life because you are focused on manifestation. 2016 can be the greatest year of your life but it starts with having a vision. The proof of appreciation for life is the desire to live each day with an aim. The proof of disrespect for life is the decision to live each day without direction.