Not one to make New Year’s resolutions?
I hear you; too much work, too much pressure; might as well not do anything.
But
Could it be the fear of not being up to the task hiding under the ‘nah, not for me!’?
Let’s be realistic. Sooner or later, we will be asked to make our lives happen, to be in the driver’s seat rather than a lady/gentleman in waiting.
We all long to have a say in where we are headed and while we can accept that things may not go as planned, we still have agency – and strategies to unlock what makes our heart sing.
Key 1: the what
Simple enough, what do I want? And yet…
Fear of being too much, of actually having to deal with the repercussions, of annoying others, we shy away from asking what we want and get resentful when someone else gets it.
- Is this want or desire too big?
- Too unrealistic?
- Or are we just dismissing it altogether too fast as ‘impossible’, ‘too good to be true’, i.e. I don’t deserve it?
The ‘what’ key is asking us to go for it, even when the brain is screaming ‘no, cannot do’. Because the biggest regret we will have in the future? not giving it a try.
Key 2: the why
‘Why’ lives below the surface of ‘I want what they are having’. It’s not only about cosmetics and appearances but digging deeper into what will make us grow.
- Is it your want, or are you trying to make someone else happy, even if it doesn’t do much for you?
- Are you trying to keep up with the Joneses?
- Or you want that new home, new car, raise because it feels good?
- because you feel proud of your achievements and victories?
Why is what motivates you. What makes you persistent and patient, despite the frustration and the challenges. The more expansive and aligned with your values, the more energy you will have to reach your goals.
Key 3: the how
Time now to chat grounded down-to-earth doing something about it!
There are several ways to get what you want.
- The my way and my way only – also called the hard way – will likely come with a hefty price tag of depletion and resentment, and possibly not so good for your reputation as a leader.
- The better way (a bit biased here!) – vision, plan, lead, manage, adapt, rinse and repeat.
Let’s think of the ‘how’ as a co-creation and collaboration with others.
What better opportunity to learn, grow ourselves and elevate others at the same time?
Keys 4/5/6: the when/where and who with
As the wise have been telling us for some time now, focus on what you can have agency and control upon; i.e. your actions, reactions and decisions.
Timing is important – don’t rush to fix everything and don’t rush others. Things will fall in place when they have been carefully and mindfully planned.
You may not have a say over who is on your team, but you can learn to work with others, even the most reluctant ones.
How? focus on what’s in it for them. Remember what’s important for you might not be for others, focus on what’s common and what helps motivate them.
Key 7: your inner GPS
What makes the real difference between a mere New Year, New Me to-do list and putting a vision into words and actions?
Your internal guide.
Also called intuition, experience, inner knowing, your Inner GPS can act as your trusted advisor, your accountability partner, your coach, your gatekeeper, and much more.
Now is a good time to remember that beneath the fluff, you have a higher purpose. The one that leans towards wanting to make an impact vs sitting at your desk waiting for stuff to happen – the same one that wants to act in integrity and knows when you are settling out of fear.
Trust that inner GPS – it has your best in mind. It knows what you want and why you want it.
Aligning you and what you are and what you do – to your highest potential.
Coaching Executives