January is an interesting month. It brings with it a rollercoaster of personal emotions, professional energy, and periods of both extreme motivation and – at times – the feeling of being “burnt out.”
For one, January comes in on the tail of the holiday season. Most people experience the post-holiday blues, having to return to “business as usual” after time spent enjoying family, friends, and good food. The odd part about this, though, is that January also comes in on a feeling of excitement and renewal – bringing with it a new year – which for most represents an opportunity for positive growth and development.
It’s easy to see, then, how this mixture of emotions and circumstance can often lead some people to feel as though they are shifting through phases, both personally and professionally. My challenge to you? Let’s stay motivated! The following are a few tips and tricks I’ve used myself to help keep me focused and achieving, long after the “high” of the new year has come and gone and I’m confident they will help you too!
If you fall off the wagon – acknowledge it and get back on!
The truth is, the occasional slip is to be expected. “The best-laid plans …” as they say, don’t always go as we’d like them to. While the ideal would be for us to remain diligent and targeted at all times when we prepare ourselves for moments when we may not be on our “A Game” we are better equipped to jump right back on the wagon with minimal setback. Give yourself the wiggle room necessary to keep things from becoming daunting or discouraging, and in the end, you will reach your goals much more quickly.
Keep your goals front and centre!
This might be the most important tip of all – keep your goals within reach, literally! Read them daily and envision the finish line. Whether you opt to create a daily reminder in your phone, write them on your whiteboard, post a sticky note on your bathroom mirror, or – my personal favourite – create a vision board, keeping in touch with why you’re doing what you’re doing will help keep you motivated through the entire process. A tangible reminder of what you’re working so hard to achieve helps to connect you with your “why” and will get you through any periods where you may start to question the journey.
Measure along the way!
Another one of my favourite ways to stay motivated and ahead of the curve is to measure my progress along the way regularly! In an earlier blog post, we discussed the idea of taking a CEO Day – a day dedicated to working ON your business instead of in your business. This is the perfect opportunity to pause and reflect on your goals, ask yourself “am I making the progress I want?” and “are the things I set up to help me really helping me?” By holding these regular progress check-ins with yourself, you will not only be motivated by the progress you’ve made, but you will also be able to proactively address anything that is hindering you from getting to your goal, editing and refocusing to help you move further and further along.
Celebrate the mini successes!
Celebrate each “mini success” as it comes – jumping off of number three, when measuring your progress be sure to catalogue all of your accomplishments and allow yourself the time to enjoy them! In doing so, you’re giving yourself the chance to revel in all that your hard work has gone into achieving, and that’s a great thing. This will also help to keep you focused on your “bigger picture goal” as the positive reinforcement from celebrating the milestones will help set you up to really celebrate once your main objective is achieved!
Remember, it’s not about perfection – it’s about progress!
Above all else, remember, it’s not about perfection, it’s about progress. Enjoy the journey. You worked hard to get where you are, and these goals you’ve set are an extension of all you have been able to accomplish to now. That’s no small feat! As entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals none of us is unfamiliar with “failure,” but I often find the most significant lessons come from making mistakes – pushing yourself to do better. This is your time, embrace it!
By using the 12-Week-Year, I go into each new calendar year with the confidence that I can be 4X more effective and productive which in turn leads me to achieve more in 12 weeks than most do in 12 months. As a certified trainer in the program, it has been my greatest joy to see the impact this planning methodology has had on clients and their ability to achieve their goals.
If you are interested in learning how to adapt the 12-week-year into your organization to ensure you are achieving more in 12-weeks than your competitors do in 12-months all through 2019, email success@keyelement.ca today!