Rounding up the year
So, as we head into the last month of the year we can see the promise of the new year right in front of us! Are you ready?
Last week I attended a two-day retreat with my amazing business coach and a truly remarkable group of entrepreneurs.
Mindset
We began with mindset, something we always need to be aware of and working on. Working for yourself – and by yourself – can be very challenging and, at times, lonely. This is why it is so important for us to surround ourselves with like-minded people who are experiencing the same types of challenges that we are.
The first thing to focus on with mindset is: what is holding you back? what is your biggest fear? My biggest fear has always been fear of failure. And while this may be a big fear for many, our definition of failure may be very, very different.
I have learned to connect my fear to my reason why – the reason that I will work through my fear rather than succumb to it.
- What is your biggest fear?
- What is your “reason why” – the reason you do what you do?
- How will that “why” help you to work through your fears?
[clickToTweet tweet=”You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience… look fear in the face. ” quote=”You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along. – Eleanor Roosevelt“]
I have also learned to focus on what it is that I deserve. Somehow that tends to get lost in the travels of life for most of us.
What do you deserve?
Goals
What do I want to achieve next year? We took the time to really dive into this. We asked and answered these questions and more:
- What do I want to accomplish in the coming year?
- How much money do I want to make?
- What do I need to change to accomplish these goals?
After answering these questions, we broke it down into smaller goals by working backward. Once you have broken it down into 30, 60, 90 – day goals you will be able to create the action steps you need in order to reach each goal.
Put these steps on your calendar! If it’s not on there, the chances of it actually getting done and you accomplishing your goal(s) is slim to none.
Accountability
Finally, we chose new accountability partners. This is crucial for me. When I set a goal for the day and do not accomplish it, it is very easy for me to just move that to the next day’s agenda. But it is quite different when I have to tell my accountability partner the next morning that I have not done what I said I would do. Now please understand, I have only received wonderful encouragement from my accountability partners, so it’s not that I am afraid of being chastised or anything like that, it is the feeling of letting myself down, the feeling of failure. Now this is a time when my fear of failure works FOR ME – it keeps me on my toes!
Do you have an accountability partner? If you do, how is that working out for you? Be honest. If it is not working, maybe it is time to figure out WHY and either fix it or move on. If you do not have one, why not make a list of other entrepreneurs that may love the idea of having an accountability partner and reach out to them?
Whatever you do for the new year, make sure it serves YOU!
What tips do you have for planning the next year and making it the best year yet!? (I never say “best EVER” because the best is always yet to come!)
A few years ago, I took on an Accountability Partner. I didn’t call her that, but knew that was who and what she was, and still is.
That has made all the difference!
Oh, how wonderful, Susan! I wish I had done this years ago! So glad I’m finally doing it!
I’ve never had an accountability partner for business but I can see where it would help.I do have a walking buddy and I know that spurs me on to walk on days I’m feeling lazy because I don’t want to let her down. I love the idea of focusing on what you deserve as well as any business goals you have.
That’s terrific, Tamuria! I’m the opposite of you – I keep trying to find a workout accountability partner but it’s hard to find someone else that will be consistent AND is an early bird!
My biggest fear…do I have to choose just one? 🙂 I love the idea of planning, but I seem to be better at it for others rather than good at it for myself. There is no question that I’m harder on myself than anyone else on the planet! I’m trying to change that. Adding podcasts to my morning or evening routine has started to help. And decreasing the amount of input from others is another tactic that has made a big difference in my mindset and feelings of overwhelm. You’ve inspired me to work on my 2017 goals and put them on my calendar!
I know, right, Meghan, just one!? I picked my biggest to share here. I am so glad you feel inspired to work on your 2017 goals! You are an amazing person and have so much to offer!
Great post. This is such a good time to be assessing, planning and dreaming of the upcoming year!
You are so right in the need to set goals, and then assign action steps to those goals. If not, we can get caught in the trap of just doing the same old thing. I want to get my Social Media time in focus – only doing those things that are really helpful to my business,. Sadly, sometimes the least helpful is the most fun, so plan to take a deeper dive. Great article, and thanks for the motivation.
Oh, Robin, I am so glad you got some motivation from this post! So true about the least helpful actions being more fun so much of the time. I guess the cure for that is to take the fun actions and use them to purposely break up the not-so-fun ones! 🙂
This year I’ve been part of a “Your Year of Miracles Group” and our sub-group of 5 has been a fun way to connect and support each other manifest our miracles twice a month. Overall 2016 has been a very challenging year for so many. Things as we know them are breaking down and as we finish this 9 year cycle (2016 is a 9 year in numerology) we begin a new cycle with 2017 being a 1 year! Time to finish or let go of all the things that aren’t working in our lives and create a fresh new plan for ourselves. It sounds like you had a very enriching experience at your retreat last weekend, Mindy! And that you are ready to go all out in 2017.
Oh, Beverley, starting a new cycle sounds delightful! I’m sure many will agree with me that it is time! I love the name of your group and glad to hear you have such a wonderful support system in place!
It’s always hard looking back of the year and seeing the goals you didn’t accomplish. But, I very much like that you’ve asked the question “What do I need to change to accomplish these goals?” This keeps the goals from being a failure and looking at adjustments that need to be made in order for them to be achieved.
I love that you are getting that take-away from this, Joyce – it is never a failure if we learn from it!
My goals for the coming year are related to growth, manageability of said growth, and income. It’s basically a continuation of the plan that’s been working for me the past few months, but with a few tweaks. Having accountability partners, as well as those who cheer me on, help tremendously!
Thanks for these ideas. I don’t currently have an accountability partner but do keep myself on track with a quarterly check list. Bring it on 2017!
Hey Mindy 🙂
Really great post! I agree that mindset to start the new year off right is key to reaching your goals and having success 🙂 Also trying to go at it alone has been my issue, so having an accountability partner or someone who has similar goals is a good thing and something I am working on now 🙂 Such valuable tips you shared, thank you!!
Thank you, Joan! I hope you are able to find an accountability partner that fits well with you.
I’ve never had an accountability partner, but I think it could be quite helpful. I suppose, being a coach, I am always the one who is holding the other accountable!
Yes, Lisa, I think we can all use one – or more!
Some interesting ideas, no I do not have an accountability partner, but it sounds like a good idea. Thanks 🙂
YES i am ready. I have been in the right mindset for about a week now and i am enjoying planning and deciding where i want my life to go. I am excited too.
May we all succeed in 2017.
Awesome, Sonya! Here’s to a successful 2017! 🙂
This year I want to keep my goals simple or rather few in number. An important goal is never easy but it is often simple. It is so tempting to set so many goals that we feel overwhelmed and accomplish few if any.
Awesome tips.. and I have already created some goals for 2017 and thankfully, because of you I finally finished one of my 2016 goals… my dern website. lol
This spoke to me “I have also learned to focus on what it is that I deserve. Somehow that tends to get lost in the travels of life for most of us.” because I tell ya… what we deserve is usually WAYYY better than what we get, for sure. Great tips
Hey, Kristen. I’m glad to hear you’ve created some goals for the coming year already – and I hope you are thinking about what you deserve as you finish it. Proud of you for getting the website done – that was a big thing for YOU and we all tend to put others first too much!
Thank you! This is valuable information! I have my “SMART Golas” planning day set , to be ready for 2017
Aside from accountability partners, I think it is also good to ask for help in things that you are not an expert in so that you get to do just the things you enjoy doing. In this way, you will also be happy. Who doesn’t want to include happiness in their goal for 2017?
Awesome tips.. and I have already created some goals for 2017 and thankfully, because of you I finally finished one of my 2016 goals…
Thanks to share with us.
Oh, Dhaval, I am so happy to hear this! Best of luck to you for this year!