So how was your 2005? Was it by far the best year of your life? I mean over the top, you can’t wait for more? If you are like most people, you probably answered no. If you had the choice of spending the same 365 days and just surviving it or having the best year of your life, which would you choose? Of course you would choose the best year of your life! You know what you would prefer, you always get the same 365 days each year, so what is getting in the way and how do we get it out of there?
First, let’s start with the question, how did you do on your Top 3 goals in 2005? Most people don’t even have a top one goal, let alone a history of what they did on their top 3 goals. Well, let’s turn that around right now.
Step 1: (Spend only 30 seconds on this. REALLY!) Pick your number one goal in each of the following categories. Physical, Financial, and Relationship. STOP! Do it now. We are talking only 30 seconds and then write the goals down.
If you had achieved these 3 goals in 2005, do you think 2005 would have been your best year ever? If you answer is anything but YES, redo Step 1 with bigger goals.
We have done it. In only 30 seconds. Can you believe it? Finally, you are starting your new year off with actual targets that will make your 2006 the best year ever. How much better do you feel knowing you now have clear targets to go after? It kind of takes the anxiety out and allows you to get down to business. You know what you want, now let’s get you there with Steps 2 through 5. Remember, you have only 4 and ½ minutes left.
Step 2: Turn your Top 3 Goals into your Top 3 one year goals. If you can not complete your Top 3 Goals in one year, reduce them down to where you can complete them in one year. Make sure you don’t reduce them down to the point where they don’t inspire you, but just enough to make them one year goals.
Step 3: Choose 3 people to hold you accountable to your top 3 Goals, one person for each goal. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. We jump from goal to goal never achieving any of them. Once you achieve one of your goals, the new ideas that you will start having will be 1000 times greater then the ideas you are having right now. Just know that these goals you just wrote down ARE the ones that are truly important to you, because you were not given enough time to think about choosing them. They were already there.
Step 4: Get out a blank piece of paper. Choose one of the persons that will be holding you accountable. Write Dear <Their Name> at the top of the paper. Followed by, I, <Your Name> promise to consistently make progress on <The top goal they are supporting you on> for the entire year of 2006 until it is achieved. I will give you monthly updates on my progress. Sign your name on the bottom. Do the same thing with your other 2 goals.
Step 5: Give those papers to the respective persons and post your goals in a location where you can review them daily. Update your new accountability buddies on your progress and look out 2006. Congratulations on completing this exercise. I hope it took you 5 minutes or less. It is actually better the quicker you do it. It prevents all the second guessing that naturally takes place. If you skipped over these exercises you will never understand their power. It’s like the difference between imagining you are standing at the edge of a cliff and actually standing at the edge of cliff.
Once you achieve any of your top 3 goals, you will be flooded by ideas that are 1000’s of times better than before you started on these goals. You can not imagine what you will have access to once you complete just one of these goals. Good luck on your best year ever!