Can you believe we are already more than a month into the new decade!
As you look back over the past ten years, I’m sure there are achievements and accomplishments you’re very proud of. Celebrate them and be grateful.
But at the same time, you probably also had a few setbacks, disappointments, mistakes or regrets. Please don’t allow those to hold you back.
What are your plans to take your life and business to new level in this year? Will you experience a better quality of life for you and your family? Will you achieve the dreams you’ve set your heart on?
Do you have a list of new goals and what’s your plan of action to accomplish them? What will you do differently to make this your best year ever?
Over the years I’ve worked with many people in different countries and helped them achieve higher results. Some people don’t carry out or complete what they set out to do for various reasons. The one thing I’ve noticed which holds a lot of people back is they are simply not certain about what they really want. There’s a lack of clarity.
It’s like when you take a photo or selfie and the picture turns out blurred. You are disappointed because you really wanted to capture the moment. Well, our lives are the same. You can’t realize much with unclear, vague goals. Those are like New Year’s resolutions which people all over the world have in January every year; they are usually abandoned before March.
When someone asks, “How can I achieve my goals when my life is so busy?”, that indicates a lack of clarity regarding priorities.
If they say, “I start working on my goals but then I lose momentum along the way”, it is probably a lack of clarity about what motivates them or the right way to set goals and follow through.
Saying, “I’m afraid to achieve my goals because it will mean more responsibility” is a sign that you’re not quite clear about what you want, or a lack of awareness about your fear of failure.
Success is mostly a result of clarity, which is connected to vision and purpose. Your life moves in the direction of what you see. The clearer the picture, the more likely you are to achieve it.
Clarity will make your vision sharp so you can see it more clearly. It will keep you motivated, focused and accountable. Clarity will help your mind identify opportunitiesto make your dreams and goals real.
Here are five things you can do to improve clarity:
- Think About What You Really Want and Why
Thinking produces clarity. Take some quiet time to reflect and get very clear about what you want. Be honest with yourself. What are your desires and dreams? Why do they motivate you? Is it someone else’s idea for you or is it meaningful to you? The motivation to keep going for your goals, particularly when difficulties arise, will come from the reason you want it and how it will make you feel to have it.
- Write It Down
Writing your thoughts on paper brings clarity. We have thousands of thoughts going through our minds each day. You will not remember everything. Write down that great idea before it gets pushed away by other thoughts competing for your attention. Writing increases the likelihood of achievement.
- Give It Your Attention
Focus results in clarity. Your goal is like a little child that needs your attention. Don’t write it down and then ignore it. Schedule time to make the mental picture of what you want precise and clear. You are focusing the “lens” so that you can “see” the exact details and gain the clarity that will cause you to take the necessary action steps to turn the goal into reality. This is not something you do once. Set a time to review your goals daily and monitor your progress to get more clarity on what activities you may need to change. Imagine the process of achieving the goal from beginning to end.
- Decide When You Will Get It
A deadline provides clarity. A goal without a completion date remains a wish with no urgency. Write down a realistic achievement date based on your belief and capabilities. You might not know the exact date, but you can indicate whether it is a short-term goal (first quarter or within a year), a medium-term goal (1 to 3 years) or a long-term goal (5+ years).
- Connect With People Who Can Add More Clarity
There’s always someone who knows more about what you want to do or achieve. Find a way to connect with a coach or mentor to add clarity from their knowledge, expertise, experience or wisdom. Read books, watch videos, listen to podcasts or attend events of people who have reached where you want to be. Achievement of your goals will always require some input from other people, even if only to give you encouragement and to keep you accountable.
There is power in clarity! A contractor cannot build a house without clear architectural drawings. A cake cannot be properly baked without a clear recipe. A soccer match would soon spiral into chaos without clear rules for the game. You cannot effectively achieve your goals without clarity.
Our days can be hectic as we try to attain work-life balance. Don’t fall into the trap of living at full speed in the performance race of life. Regularly pause to reflect and obtain clarity. Learn the lessons from your past and then stay committed to consistently do what it takes to achieve your goals. Hold yourself to a higher standard and be accountable to it. Decide to stretch yourself this year and aim high to achieve your full potential.
Success depends on the choices you make. Clarity is a choice. What you choose to do this year will set the stage for how high you rise in this decade. Clarity will set you off on the right trajectory. Use the power of clarity to make this your best year yet!