Patricia Love

The new year brings with it limitless possibilities…at least for some. The reality is that most of us feel it is limitED. Without unlimited money, resources, time, and freedom, how can any year possibly be limitless?

Well, for starters, let’s talk about perspective. Yes, realistically, we all have our limits as human beings; as parents; as employees; as youth; or as authorities, just to name a few, but with those limits, still comes opportunity, and it is the opportunity that can be stretched as far as we dare to push ourselves.

You may be four days into this year and have already given up on your resolution, or simply, resolved NOT to make one. But I urge you; pick something. Everyone needs goals to strive towards—they keep us hungry; they keep us fighting; they make us better.

Open your mind to the fact that, sure, you’re already four days behind, but you’ve got 361 more to go and that is a heck of a lot MORE time than those first days you missed; open your mind to the idea that if you never make a goal or give yourself a mission, that in itself is part of the reason you never accomplish it, or feel successful.

Take whatever glimpse of opportunity is afforded to you and imagine how far you can stretch, bend, and mold that sliver of hope. Is there a promotion coming up in your office? Maybe you tell yourself, “I don’t have the requested level of education,” “I’m not qualified,” “I haven’t been at the company long enough to apply.” Squash that! That’s not YOU talking. That’s Negative Nelly who lives somewhere deep inside each of us, and if you let her get out too often, SHE is the one that nips your visions in the bud. Give yourself the mental liberty and self-assurance for a moment to say to yourself, instead, “what if?”

“What if my on-the-job experience is more valuable than that diploma?”

“What if I apply?”

“What if I get the job?”

What if I make more money and I can buy the house I’ve always dreamt of? What if I can send my kids to a better school? What if I can help my mom pay for her procedure? What if I network and get more contacts and finally launch my OWN business? What if I gain newfound confidence? What if I rise to the top one day? What if …IT. ALL. WORKS. OUT.

These sorts of questions, this type of self-talk, is MUCH more valuable than telling yourself what you aren’t or what you can’t. Because you CAN and you ARE. You’re enough & you’re worth it! So start the year off with a goal. Some sort of goal. You deserve to achieve it; you deserve good things out of life, and it’s okay to acknowledge that you deserve that, the same as everybody else.

So, let’s talk about setting goals. How do you set yourself up for success this year, with a pertinent goal in mind? Well first, pick something that matters to you. No matter how big or how small—make sure it’s achievable; break it down into a step-by-step process; try to find measurable or quantifiable aspects to gauge how you’re progressing. Then, you have to ask yourself the most important question of all… it all begins with a simple question: why? Why are you doing this? Why now? Why here? Why you?

In creating a strong ‘why,’ that alone can bring with it loads of accountability to keep you on track. Find a reason you really connect with; for whatever reason that is relevant to YOU, it resonates. This connection to your mission carries emotion and brings about a stronger will to succeed. That’s the fight.

That’s what you need to start this year off with a BANG! A shotgun out the door with pep in your step and a mission for 2022. Your ‘why’ can’t be anyone else’s. It can’t be borrowed, even if you have the same goal as someone else, even if you’re on a similar mission. The journey will look different for each of you and you have to keep reminding yourself WHY you’re doing this, every step of the way, so it has to come from YOU.

Accountability is a key factor in accomplishing what you set out to do. The reason being is that we’re all human; we all slip up and make mistakes. Accountability is what reigns you in and pull you back up from the dumps, especially when you want to give up, or things are going to plan. Your ‘why,’ is your accountability factor to YOURSELF. That being said, it’s also very helpful to be accountable to someone else.

Take the job promotion example, for instance. Sure, a cushier job with better pay, or more vacation time, or health insurance, etc, undoubtedly benefits you. But this is about how it can affect others in your life… if you have children, how does a boost in your pay, and less constrained finances, impact them? I’m sure you can answer that question all on your own. Be accountable to them. Do it for them too! Not just for you. This can be part of your ‘why’ also.

So don’t just lollygag into 2022, LEAP into 2022. Bound! Jump! Sprint! Burst through the door of that metaphorical box that has been containing you in your comfort zone, and limiting your opportunities. Because we’ve still got a whole year ahead of us, and the only thing holding you back, is YOU.

What’s your why?

Stay tuned! If you need a little help along the way… I’ve got big things coming in the new year to help you set goals and achieve them with confidence: look out for a ConfidentU in 2022. Here’s another blog on Confidence.

I See You, and I Hear You.

Patricia