I don't know about you, but I had a crazy, challenging, thrilling, unpredictable, amazing, frustrating, overwhelmingly sad, incredibly happy, focused, undisciplined, energetic, lazy, disappointing, uplifting and empowering 2015.
In fact in the 50 years I have walked this earth, I could say the same about every year. Even before I realized I could. Life is like that.
What about you? There are certainly moments in any year which can define a lifetime, and then there are the moments which you almost forget happened at all. But when you reflect you realize they could have, in the smallest of ways, easily taught you more about life then you ever imagined at the time. Or you might realize that what you thought didn't matter, the smallest of disciplines or actions, over time, actually defined your year. Or maybe there was one thing that happened that you will never forget. The list goes on and on, if we are fortunate, life goes on an on.
The point is, this is life. If you are living it, there is no way around it. So how do we go from the final day of 2015 to the beginning of 2016 and do so in a way which will leave our heart and our minds wide open to accept the experiences we will create (those in our control) and the ones for which we will have to tackle with, at times, the very depths of our soul, to battle back and continue to survive.
As I write this blog post in the hotel lobby of a Marriott in Virginia, one of the employees, Jonathan came over to see what I was doing and to chat. I asked him how his year went. He said it was like a roller coaster, up and down. I said, "isn't every year like that?" He said, "you know, you're right." He said the goal is to end up at the top. I asked him, "how do you do that?" He looked at me and said "you do it right." I said I agree, I believe at the end, the end of your life -- this journey we are all on -- is to leave a legacy, to touch as many people as you possibly can, and do it right, just like Jonathan said. My goal, to positively impact the lives of a billion people. Every life touched matters.
How about you?
As we move from 2015 to 2016, I did some addition. 2+0+1+5 = 8. When we turn to 2016 tomorrow, that number goes up by 1. That's the bonus number (9).
So with all of this in mind, down below are the 8 things I have learned, read, listened to, or lived in the past year which I believe and I hope can benefit you, or anyone you meet. There are literally hundreds of ideas, but we can only take it one year at a time and we only have so much time together today. :)
So here we go, in no particular order:
Goals: If we don't set any goals or ideas, if we don't have anything to keep us looking forward with positive expectancy, we can waste away, self-destruct or die.
Where your attention goes, so goes your life.
Ask the God who made you, to keep making you.
The success you create now is temporary, but the legacy you leave is eternal.
Attract through gratitude. You can get everything you want in life through gratitude.
Your true value is determined by how much you give in value, then you take in payment.
There are only two ways to live your life. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
Where you are is a result of who you were, but where you end up depends entirely on who you choose to be from this moment forward. And remember every moment is never coming back.
And #9 -- The Bonus:
If there is something that you want to see come to life in this world, don't worry if you don't have experience, don't worry if you don't have the knowledge, you can absolutely figure it out.
And as we call it a wrap on 2015 and look ahead to another year of life -- I leave you with this: don't wait to see it to believe it.
In the words of a man who I hold in high regard, my mentor, Darren Hardy: "You want to dismiss the traditional logic of I'll believe it when I see it. Instead know that your human capability really works in reverse. You'll see it and realize it when you believe it. Terminate the fear-based approach of doubting progress until its tangibly apparent. Instead believe fully in something and it will be that belief that will manifest and shape reality."
I believe in you. I believe in me. I believe in 2016.
Happy New Year
Until next time, thanks for taking the time,
Mark
(markbrodinsky@gmail.com/http://markbrodinsky.com/
Mark Brodinsky, Author, Blogger, Speaker, Speech Writer, Emmy Winner
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