I missed my yoga class this week and it suddenly dawned on me. Mastering a headstand this year was simply not going to happen. Time to scratch that off my list. Disappointing? Yes, but only briefly. It was shortly replaced by exhilaration! The aha moment and realization that I had freed up time and energy to become incredibly productive, focusing on what I could realistically achieve before 2015 ends.
Do you want to ramp up your levels of achievement and accomplishment as the curtains close on 2015? Stretch to make those goals a reality? Then listen to this. Before you get caught up in planning and visioning for next year, pause. Let's give it one last whoosh and propel you to completion. Let's end your year with a bang.
Here's my recommendations on how to be incredibly productive and get the most out of the time you have left this year.
Take a Step Back
A brief step back. We are taking a birds-eye view of your business, your life, to remind you of how far you've come. Celebration and recognition are great techniques to boost your energy levels and recharge your batteries.
Where were you at the start of this year and where are you now? Even if that's not where you want to be it's a sure sight better than where you started from, right?
Pick One Thing
As year-end approaches the scattergun approach tends to creep in. You know, keeping busy and making a little bit more progress on every single item on your list. But not actually finishing anything. Take said list and put a line through all the things that cannot realistically happen in the next few weeks (hello headstand!).
Pick one priority (it can have smaller supporting goals), for both your personal life and business and make those your absolute focus.
Let it Go
Now that you've identified your priorities, take everything else off your list. Let that stuff go. It's for another time, another life or maybe never. It's not cheating and it doesn't mean you have underperformed. You have simply adjusted the goalposts, which were a little too wide in the first place.
See? Already you are making progress. You have shifted focus to what you can do, not what you can't.
Turn up the Heat
"If we all did the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves."
According to the wise Thomas Edison, we really are capable of way more than we give ourselves credit for. Dial up your focus and attention to what really matters. Outcomes.
We all have that reserve and can find a new lease of life when we need to. It's starts with your mind, believing it's possible.
Get Accountable
It is so much easier to break a promise to ourselves that it is to someone else, don't you think? But no one climbs to the top of the mountain alone. If you don't have one already, get yourself an accountability partner. Someone you share your commitment and your goals with. Someone who will follow up with you and keep you on track.
Whether it's a coach, a mentor, a mastermind buddy or your mum, assign yourself an accountability partner.
Go All In
Now that you have focus on one or two key deliverables, what are you going to do to make that happen? It's time to put your commitment to the test. List out the actions that will make these priorities happen and get started!
"If you're interested, you'll do what's convenient. If you're committed, you'll do whatever it takes."
John Assaraf reminds us that results don't happen by accident.
Make Quick Wins
In the meantime, you need momentum. You'll get that in spades with some quick wins. They can be as simple as having that conversation you've procrastinated on for days to signing off on a project that you've been sitting on because it 'wasn't ready.'
What quick wins can you make? Think low hanging fruit opportunities that can be implemented straight away. Success breeds success, so start small and build from there.
So, are you ready to play full out as we head into the home straight? Take a moment to see how you can apply these steps today. Commit to some key priorities and by year-end you will be celebrating one of your best years yet.