Your New Year Is Now INS EPS 12

Let me first preface these show notes with an acknowledgement that we should all take a few moments to spend time with our friends and families to remind ourselves of what’s really important, and to solidify some of the reasons we’re grinding out this hustle day-to-day.

I often hear discussions about “winding things down” when it comes to the end of the year, or mentions of “we’ll be better, stronger, more mindful, (fill in the blank) in the new year.” However, one of the reasons why I’m not much for New Year’s resolutions is that I wholeheartedly feel I’m living the life I want to live.

Could I be better, aspire to reach another level, be more mindful? Yes, but this is simply a constant in my life and my business. I don’t need a new year to define the timing for me. That time is now, and it is for you too.

I’m not afraid to admit that I’m trying to keep a lot of balls in the air, I think most of us are, but that’s what it’s going to take to drive your success.

Don’t tell me you’re extremely busy when you’ve just spent the last few hours catching up on old episodes of The Gilmore Girls or Doctor Who. You’ve got to make each moment count if you’re going to succeed. Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t work on your self-care. You need to hustle on that as well, but just make certain it’s something that will rejuvenate you in a way that will carry you to that next level.

So what can you do now to make sure your hustle is going to count?

Well, as of these show notes, we’re already into the New Year, so let’s work with where we are. For future reference however, I recommend planning your next year in the months of September or October at the very latest.

This way you’re already blasting down that runway for a nice smooth take off come January 1st. Also, don’t take your mind off the big picture toward the end of the year. Keep that momentum going.

Okay, so what now?

Instead of resolutions, let’s just list these as goals for you personally and professionally.

You don’t have a weakness with this mindset.

Time and time again I’ve talked about delegating tasks or hiring out for jobs that you either don’t have time for, or you just lack the ability to effectively complete these tasks. What I’m actually saying here though is that instead of contemplating your weaknesses only some of the time and keep them top of mind. Let’s up end that concept and focus on how you’re going to totally rock out being awesome at learning and improving these skills.

Make learning a priority. You can be the ultimate rockstar at self-improvement.

Be among good company.

Really think about who it is that you’d either like to meet, or get to know better this year. Try to at least make a list of 10 people who you believe is aligned with who you are and what you are doing.

Even if you’ve met these individuals prior, were you able to really get into a valuable dialogue with them. Did you actually have an opportunity to connect?

Don’t skimp on this goal either. If some of these individuals just seem out of reach in your current network, TRY. I have mutual acquaintances of some pretty high level folks out there and I wouldn’t have known it if I didn’t at least make an attempt. Don’t miss an opportunity to meet some extremely influential people.

Are Your Social Platforms Conveying Your Goals?

By all means this should be an ongoing endeavor, but you should actually take some time to assess whether your social media platforms are aligned with your end goals. You might think that how you started out will net you the same result of where you’ll end up, but maybe not.

Start with LinkedIn first. It should go without saying, but ask yourself if your CV is capturing who you are and what you do? Remember, this is an organic list of employment, projects, and achievements, not some static outdated resume sitting in a filing cabinet or hard drive somewhere.

Also, to my previous point about your connections, you know this is a great way to initiate engagement with those influential people I told you to put on your list? If you do initiate a conversation you better bank on the fact that they’ll head to the Interwebs to find you fast. Facebook, Google+, Twitter, wherever you are present online, just take a look and make certain everything is aligned. And, while you’re at it think about those you’ve worked with this past year and write a recommendation or a review on their platforms. They may in fact reciprocate and do the same for you.

Hit The Talks

You should either be planning to attend a few conferences this year in person, or figure out how to attend virtually. This could even include viewing webinars or recorded presentations from influential leaders in business.

Even if there may not be a budget for you to attend these conferences in person, do look around for talks in your metropolitan area first. Even if you’re just watching these talks online, schedule enough time so that you can take notes and reflect on this new inspiration you’re going to be getting.

Let’s MeetUp

This may seem similar to the conferences, but this can be something a little more intimate. I’ve mentioned MeetUp before and there really can be a great group of people in your industry that get together and share their experiences.

Yes, you could become a member of a virtual group or forum as well, but sometimes things can get lost in translation online. There’s really no substitute for that in person engagement to gain that inspiration and another perspective.

Give Back

Now this could encompass many things from donating time or money to a variety of situations. Remember, giving back should never be de-prioritized. Are you a coach or mentor that could carve out a little time to help a budding professional or two?

Are there non-profits in your area that you can volunteer some of your time to where you not only give back to the community, but may also allow you the opportunity to establish some very lasting connections that’s good for your business.

By giving back, my company has established so many long-term business relationships with non-profit companies and we’re still going strong today. You may not believe this, but the non-profit world can be quite connected with a few of those influencers I keep mentioning.

Take Care Of You

You should also never deprioritize yourself. Trust me, if you’re doing it right, then you’re hustling 12-15 hours a day. Do carve out some time for self-care, but by all means make it count. Assess whether it’s something that will help you refocus your energies to jump back in to that grind.

Remember, your New Year is now, and always a constant. Get out there and hustle.

Oh, and let’s connect. Just reach out.

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