38 - Strategic Success: How to Plan for an Amazing Year

Have you started to think about all the amazing things that you want to achieve next year? Now what do you do with that?:

a) Live day by day and hope that these things happen

b) Create a plan to ensure they do💪

c) It's too complicated, I will message you and let you know!

So, how can you plan to achieve your best year yet?

1 - Set objectives

2 - Set a realistic timeline

3 - Get it done

Simple right?

Not always. As we get back into the day job, before we know it we are at Easter break, then we blink and it's the summer holidays. Yawn a few times and we are right back at Christmas!

Don't worry, there are a few things that I do to ensure I make consistent progress towards my objectives and life goals throughout the year. Whether it is big things like launching my online course 'Career Clarity' - which will be available again in the new year (register your interest here) - or ensuring I get to spend quality time with my family, I follow the same system each year and you can too.

Here are a few of the most important steps in my system:

1. Ensure your objectives are exciting or meaningful to you - Be clear and remind yourself of your "why" often. Ensuring that your objectives have real meaning to you and you are clear on why you want to achieve them will evoke emotions that give you the much needed energy throughout the year. The bigger the emotion, the bigger the energy and motivation. Get clear on this in advance, write it down and remind yourself of your "why" often.

2. Define the meaning of "success" - If you achieved your objective, how would you know? Would you have achieved a promotion, be in a new role, moved house, new relationship? Whatever your objectives are, define the meaning of success in advance so you know when you have reached it.

3. Set target dates and stick to them - It is all too easy for things to slip to the right. We are all busy, there is always too much to do but we also find time for the things that are important to us. Set realistic dates to achieve your objectives, and as you approach the deadline ensure you do everything you can to achieve "success" over pushing them right.

4. Put up visual aids - Such as a vision board, some images or simple post it notes. This will help to keep you motivated throughout the year. Each time you fall off track, take a look at your vision board and review your "why". If you achieve all your objectives, you may also choose to set yourself a reward at the end of the year. Keep an image of it in a spot that you will see regularly to keep that energy up!

5. Find or build an accountability pod - A small group of likeminded people that want to make change in their lives and the world too. If you can't find one, make one! This is a powerful tool that can keep you on track, overcome obstacles, and you will help others to stay on track too.

Now is the perfect time to start mapping our your objectives for the next year. I like to choose 3 personal and 3-4 professional objectives, and I put them on the wall in my home office. They also go in my life and business strategy document that gets updated each December. 

What are your big objectives for the new year?

If you want to have your best year yet, in your career or life, drop me a message with 'BEST' at [email protected] to find out how I can help.

Always with love,

Elsa x

P.S. I wanted to add, that sometimes we need to achieve objectives that are not exciting but are extremely challenging such as separating from partner that is no longer right for you, or leaving a job that no longer serves you. Try to think past this painful point, to a future time that does give you joy and happiness. This will serve as the energy you need to get through the challenging moments, when you wonder if it is easier to stay put. I have been there, through divorce, leaving an excellent job that wasn't serving me, moving my children's schools, my future vision gave me the energy I needed to make tough decisions in my life. Now I am through it, my life is truly my own and I can build my exciting dreams. I never would have got to where I am today without making some tough decisions and following through.

You have one life, live the best one you possibly can.