You may not be a resolution kind of person (I’m not either), but that doesn’t mean that you don’t want to accelerate your success. Jon Mertz shared a concept that I love for the new year – it’s a second chance to take the good, bad and ugly from last year and move forward with purpose on purpose. To help you kick off the new year as you make a fresh start, I have an idea or two (or fifty) for you to consider.
Wait! Before you close your browser and feel completely overwhelmed, I’m not suggesting that you do all 50 on a daily basis. My gut tells me that you know where you need to start.
What are you willing to do to accelerate your success?
[Tweet “Don’t wait for success – go out and create it!”]
- Block time on your schedule to crank on work and remain meeting-free
- Learn to say “no”
- Exercise – de-stress and build strength!
- Find a mentor
- Set up informational interviews to learn about other’s path to success
- Share your ideas even when you’re afraid they will sound stupid
- Ask: “How Can I Help?”
- Hire a coach
- Eat breakfast
- Take a vacation
- Spend time with your friends – decompress
- Keep a notebook (or app) handy to write down inspiration when it strikes
- Smile
- Dress to feel good – you don’t have to impress, but put on something that makes you feel your best
- Persevere even when you’re tempted to give up
- Banish the phrase “it’s impossible” from your lexicon
- Don’t assume you’ll remember your brainstorm in the morning – open your eyes and write it down
- Know your values and use them as a guidepost to lead with integrity
- Make time for your family – reenergize and recharge
- Read a non-fiction book on leadership, management, innovation or another topic of interest
- Read a fiction book and take a mental break from challenges at work
- Spend time hip-to-hip with the front lines
- Ask people for their opinions and be willing to shift yours
- Attend a conference in your field
- Make real connections on Social Media (aka avoid exclusively one-way sharing)
- Stop making assumptions about what others think and their motivations – ask
- Train for a marathon (or something else that requires discipline)
- Wake up early and use the quiet morning time to prioritize for the day
- Leave your phone in your bag (or in another room) during meetings
- Let go of the pressure to return every email, IM and tweet immediately
- Share the story about the time you were less than perfect – show people you’re human
- Blog about your knowledge and experiences
- Join in on Tweet chats like #PeopleSkills, #DaretoBe, #TChat or #LeadwithGiants to get inspired and build relationships
- Set limits on mindless game time like Candy Crush
- Take an online course designed to help you take your next step
- Admit when you’re wrong instead of digging in (it won’t make you right)
- Join Toastmasters and fine tune your public speaking skills
- Don’t be afraid to rock the boat – change takes discomfort
- Read one blog a day and apply what you learned
- Be a scientist – hypothesize, act, reflect, shift
- Get a new job when you’re reached the limits in your current position or organization
- Update your resume to include your latest experience and accomplishments before you need it
- Create or join a mastermind group
- Make time to get to know people beyond their titles and job functions
- Notice when you’re selling to the wrong people at the wrong time (i.e. friends over catch up dinner and drinks)
- Shake things up – even a small change could help get you unstuck
- Reframe a plateau as a time to get stronger before your next leap
- Break the Frame of “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” and follow your gut
- Allow for setbacks and embrace the learning
- Believe you CAN
What would you add?
Most important: What will you DO?
Break the Frame Action:
Bookmark this page or print it out. When you need a little inspiration or feel like someone else needs to give you permission to forward your personal development and accelerate your success, think again.
If you really want to accelerate your success, get clear on your values, vision and find clarity on your next step. Register before January 31st for a 30% savings on the eCourse Get Unstuck and Choose to Move.
Fabulous post to kick off my first day back at my desk after the New Year, so thank you so much Alli! The list is comprehensive and the only one thing I’d add is be grateful every day for at least three to five things … and write them down! It helps you to realize that you do have momentum and you can maintain it!
I also valued the highlighter idea – I’m going to give that a whirl this week and I’ll let you have some feedback on the outcomes!
Happy New Year!
John 🙂
Like your addition, John. Bruce Van Horn, in his latest book, “Worry No More,” advocates for a ‘grateful’ journal. Indeed, I’ve begun keeping one.
Yes!! It’s one thing to be grateful and another to be intentional about identifying those things and writing them down.
Happy New Year to you, John!
Alli,
A great list with a theme of Take Action for a Positive Outcome. Thanks for raising our awareness!
Jon
Thanks for your great post on second chances too. Inspiring!
Truly, without action, we better be satisfied with exactly the way things are today.
Best,
Alli
I just love this post as we enter the New Year as it shows all levels of challenges for each of us!
Taking any action has always gotten me out of my ruts. Little steps. But steps none the less. So making one call to a prospective client, new job possibility or a colleague can begin our movement forward.
I would just add, not to repeat all our past year’s moves. Inching forward can lead to a bigger jump.
Thanks Alli and I will share with my networks!
Terri,
Love your additions – great reminder to stretch even when it feels risky. It’s the stretch that ensures we continue to grow and not stagnate.
Thanks, Terri!
~ Alli
Great post for the New Year! You have so many great ideas, all someone needs to do is take a few of your suggestions each week, list them on their calendar as a To-Do list and their productivity will skyrocket.
You hit on an important point, Bill – putting action into play beyond thinking about it. Scheduling is a critical step to making things actionable.
Thanks so much!
~ Alli
Great list. I’ve eliminated resolutions in favor of the #oneword approach so often considered across social media. My word is ‘determined’ and I’m truly determined to address a number of the items on your list! One very important effort is building and maintaining trusting relationships; not a separate item but you do refer to the notion in a number of the items on your list.
And, hopefully you don’t mind: I have a ‘thing’ about titles such as yours… To me, it suggests the 50 (in this case) items should be the reader’s checklist that WILL accelerate success for the reader for sure. I’d suggest that is likely true but far from guaranteed. And some will most likely not be necessary for some people. I think you’re really saying “Consider this list to get YOUR thinking going for your list! AND truly address the items on your list, self-assessing regularly to see how things are going, additional items needed, …” FOR example, #50: one that needs to be on all lists; but one that truly must be true – lip-service will never accelerate success!!!!
John,
I’m totally with you – this is not a magic formula for success nor is there one out there if someone says that they have it. The key is to make a change, try new things, commit to healthy habits and ask for help along the way!
I’m also a fan of the one word for the year. My daughter chose the word challenge last year and it truly did drive her decisions and outcomes. Determined is fabulous and I feel the power behind it. Definitely not a weak word and sets a tone to drive your action.
Thanks for the addition and insight!
~ Alli
Alli,
I LOVE this post. It’s a smorgasbord of nourishment for happiness and success. You can come back for more and more once you’ve digested the others.
Keying off of #38, I would add: Get over your fear of potential conflict by communicating honestly with care not blunt with emotion. There’s a big difference between being rude/blunt vs. clear and honest.
Congrats on a stellar post to kick off the New Year!
Warmest wishes,
Kate
Thanks, Kate!
Critical point – there is a fine line between rocking the boat and capsizing. When we rock the boat from a place of emotion, we often start from an extreme. Communicating honestly with care makes all the difference.
All the Best!
Alli
This post is another keeper, Alli. I have printed it to keep handy in #12 for inspiration. Hard at work on 1, 3, 12 (need to do more of 13), 17, 20, 21, etc.
The only thing I would add is getting more sleep. I like to get up early but have gotten into a bad habit of staying up too late. Everything I read about sleep indicates that we need plenty. Hard to turn off my mind most evenings, but working on it.
Thanks for sharing your insight and wisdom!
Grenae,
Happy New Year! Oh my gosh, that is a great add. Sleep is essential and it’s one I need to work on too. It’s turning off the mind that’s the toughest part. Like you, I’m learning 🙂
Thanks!
~ Alli
Fabulous Alli!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE it my friend!!!!!!!!!
Thank you! Means so much coming from you – one who mentors others to achieve success!
xo
~ Alli
LOVE this list…especially the point about making assumptions—never a good idea!
Assumptions are tough. We believe we know, based on our own experiences and limited view, what someone else is thinking. When we really stop to consider, it’s impossible.
Thanks so much for stopping by and your comment too, LaRae!
Wow! That’s a great list. So many of these are things we all know we SHOULD be doing, and yet it’s so easy to lose sight of the impact they could make. Thanks for sharing.
It’s the shoulds that get in our way too. Powerful to pare down the list and really look at what matters and will make a difference. Thanks, Karin!