Trevor E. S. Smith | 3 keys to success in 2020

2020 is really here! Have you given serious thought about how to approach 2020?

Practise these three things consistently to come out on the other side of 2020 better than you went in.

I. DAILY DOCUMENTATION

Find time at the start of the day to document the sense of gratitude that will govern your day. Be very specific. Use this to boost your spirit.

Next, make a note of the key things that you will do today to move you closer to your objectives.

This is NOT your lengthy to-do list. Instead, it is those actions that will bring you closer to your dreams and aspirations.

This may be a bold step that you are nervous about or a tough decision that you have been putting off.

While you are at it, be true to yourself and write down the things that might prevent you from completing the tasks.

What can you do to remove any obstacles?

Will you need support? Where can you get it? What will be your role in the process?

Part 2 of Daily Documentation

Make the time in the evening or night to make notes about how the day went.

The key here is to compare what you intended with what actually happened.

Take time to reflect on lessons learned and how to apply them going forward.

Did you back down from a challenge? What does that say about your courage?

Is there a greater need for you to examine the reasons for, and implications of, your goals?

If you appreciated the WHY of your goals more, would it not cause you to be more determined to overcome obstacles?

If you pay close attention to these daily morning and evening drills, you can’t avoid been drawn more closely to your objectives.

While the temptation will come to lower your objectives when they seem to be eluding you, it is best to look at what you need to do differently instead.

II. REVIEW YOUR HORIZONS

Sometimes we get so caught up with the daily grind that we function as if we had on blinkers. We can’t see beyond the challenges that confront us. Mentally, our universe is defined by our struggles.

We spend so much time with our heads down that we are not aware of opportunities that abound.

One way to get out of this blinkered way of thinking is to expose yourself to different sources of information.

You can start by talking to or listening to a different set of people. Seek wise counsel. Even a single podcast, webinar or workshop can transform your entire life!

Read! Read! Read!

If you are concerned about ‘reading’, sign up for audiobooks. I also find Blinkist audio/text summaries very useful. You can buy the complete book if you need to dig deeper, but in a matter of a meal or trip you can gain powerful insights.

The bottom line here is to work at extending your horizons. No matter how wide they appear at present, extension is possible.

On the other hand, if you feel trapped in your shrunken universe, do not lose hope.

Replace complaints with expressions of gratitude. That does not sound like it makes sense, but try it and see. If you recognise that things could be worse, then there is something for which you can give thanks. Celebrate that instead of cursing your misfortune, yet again.

III. LOOK OUTSIDE SELF

Self-love is important. The admonition to love our neighbour as ourselves is based on the assumption that we are likely to hold healthy thoughts about ourselves.

While we are at it, what is the nature of your self-talk?

Do you talk to yourself from a position of love and respect?

Do you put yourself down? Do you beat upon yourself when you make a mistake or fail to achieve an important objective?

How ready are you to whisper words of encouragement to yourself and to extend words of comfort in difficult situations?

Despite the importance of self, we do so much better when we integrate others in our lives.

“Research shows that good relationships help people live longer, deal with stress better, have healthier habits, and have stronger resistance to colds. In a 2010 review of 148 studies, researchers found that social relationships improve lifespans. People in healthy long-term relationships are 50 per cent less likely to die prematurely than people without them. In terms of life expectancy, living without these relationships is as unhealthy as smoking!” https://www.psychalive.org/healthy-relationships-matter/.

Make a determined effort to cement healthy relationships in 2020. A grounded church community is a good option.

“A good friend is better than pocket money.”

– Jamaican proverb.

ACTION

Ensure that your 2020 goals are achieved. Talk to us about how we can move you or your team to the next level.

- Trevor E. S. Smith/Success with People Academy. We guide the development of high-performance teams. We are interpersonal relations, group dynamics and performance-enhancement specialists. We provide learning and productivity-enhancement technology solutions. We offer behavioural assessments from Extended DISC on the revolutionary FinxS Platform and e-competency frameworks in our SPIKE solution. Email: info@successwithpeople.org