We all start a new year differently, but almost all of us have a sense of newness, a feeling of renewed energy, and the expectation of better things to come. And we all have different strategies, ideas, and plans as we embark on the new year. There is no single “right way” of doing things, there is no single path to success, and there is no “key” to get all that you want, but I want to share a few insights that have helped me.
With so many angles I could take here, I think I’ll focus less on action steps and strategies, and more on questions… some questions to ask yourself. If you ask yourself these simple questions, you’ll gain insight on where you are, where you’re headed, and what needs changed.
First… what do I want my life to look like? As humans, we are blessed with the ability to dream– to envision what we want things to look like in the future. It starts as kids, and we are pretty darn good at it when we are young. But something happens. Some will say our ability to dream fades as we age. I believe our ability to dream doesn’t wean, but rather gets drowned out of us. We are encouraged to go with the flow, accept things the way they are, and be content. To a degree that is okay, but we are never too old to dream. How much does the life you are currently living resemble the life you once dreamed of? What happened? Where did it go?
So, the first question to ask is… what do I want my life to really look like? What kind of work would light me up? Could my relationships be closer and more fulfilling? Is my financial security as strong as it could, or should, be? Am I traveling like I planned to, am I doing the things I hoped I would, and is my life as exciting as I know it could be? Get a clear picture of what you would really want your life to look like.
Next, ask yourself… what behaviors and habits do I have right now that are preventing me from having that life of my dreams? What specifically do I do or not do on a regular basis that hinders my progress. Pinpointing these will help you eliminate roadblocks that you may not be aware are impeding your progress.
The third question follows nicely… what behaviors and habits do I need to add to get me to that next level, closer to the life I want? What action steps do I need to take each day, each week, and each month that, if I did those, would move me closer to my goals? This might require reviewing what has worked for you in the past, reading books or articles with tips to follow on how to achieve those goals, and/or, my favorite, finding someone who has achieved what you want to achieve and picking their brain so you can model the behaviors that got them where they are.
Lastly, I would ask how you will feel one year from today if you are no closer to your goals, or worse, even further away. Then ask how you would feel if one year from today you had achieved all that you were striving for. The key here is to not just ask yourself those questions, but take time to close your eyes, put yourself in that moment, and really feel it. Experience the emotions of coming up short, then feel the emotions of success. How do you feel? What is your breathing like? See it. Smell it. Touch it. The emotions tied to this visualization is what will trigger you to take action. It will bolster your why. The more pain you feel with failure, and the more pleasure you feel with success, the more likely you’ll be to make things happen. The bigger the why, the more energized you’ll be.
You don’t need to be an overachiever, but underachieving drains you. You’ve got potential, talents, and purpose that left untapped leave you depressed, tired, and unhappy. So, ask… what do I want my life to really look like… what behaviors do I need to stop, and what behaviors do I need to add to start getting the results I want… how will I feel one year from now having made no progress, and how will I feel if I’ve achieved my goals?
Are you happy with where you are at? Are you maximizing your potential? Is life getting better for you… or worse? What direction is it heading. Decide today that your dreams are not lost, they just got buried. Dig up those dreams, no matter how lofty they are, and know that if you change your behaviors, habits, and strategies, you can get back on the path to having the life you always dreamed of. Let’s make 2026 a year to remember. Let’s make 2026 our best year yet!
