Welcome to the Year of the OX

Do Your Best in 2009!!!

Welcome to the year of the Ox. You made it through one more year. After a rollercoaster ride in 2008, it has finally come and gone and if you’re like most people these days, it probably went much much faster than you anticipated. In fact, the last two, three or five years probably went by much faster than you not only anticipated, but also wanted.

What about the last nine years? Do you remember celebrating the dawn of the New Millennium? That was nine full years ago...time flies doesn’t it?!

So here’s a thought. What would you do differently if you knew that this year will also fly by faster than you thought, faster than you want?

How long would you put off doing what you want to do?

How long would you be willing to wait for happiness?

How long would you sit in your comfort zone longing for more adventure and excitement in your life?

Of course, time doesn’t slow down but our lives continually seem to speed up and let’s face it, 2009 will go by just as fast as all the recent years.

Now turn those previous questions around and take control of your 2009 destiny.

How quickly can you start doing what you want to do? Today!

What can you do right now to feel happy? Anything!

When can you stretch your comfort zone to embrace a new challenge or opportunity to learn, grow and contribute? Right now!

There is no doubt that you can make 2009 your best year ever. However, it’s not going to happen by accident. You can have awesome goals, grand plans and many lists. Yet without consistent action, your dreams remain just dreams and another year passes by leaving you wanting more. Only action leads to results. And consistent action in the direction of your dreams leads to positive results that inspire you to keep going.

5 Action Points to Do Your Best!

Here are a few starter points for having an incredible 2009. Put these into action and not only enjoy the months ahead, but also possibly have your best year ever.

1. Get clear on what worked and what didn’t.

Reflecting back on the lessons learned from the previous year can help you to identify clearly common obstacles (physical and mental) that prevented progress as well as understanding where you really excel and find great happiness.

2. Set new goals that excite you.

Often goal setting can seem like a creation of another long ‘to do’ list. It’s important to make a distinction between stuff you want to do and goals that excite you. You will still do the stuff you want to do but identifying a handful of bigger, bolder goals that get your internal juices flowing and make you want to jump out of bed in the mornings brings an entirely different and energetic perspective on your year ahead.

3. Create an action plan.

Here is where the dream starts to feel real. Your goals from point 2 give you clarity on the ultimate outcome you want. Your action plan should then break down that outcome into smaller steps to guide you along the way. The best action plan for a year will be structured into quarterly, monthly, weekly then daily plans. Consistently daily action is your fastest route to goal achievement.

4. Take action and adjust.

A good thought to keep in mind is that every action you take is either moving you in the direction of your goal, or away from your goal. Sometimes you just need to do things that aren’t aligned to your goals and that’s ok…as long as you’re aware of it. When you see yourself getting off track you simply need to make an adjustment, try a different approach and remain focused on your ultimate goal.

5. Be accountable.

Even when you have brilliant goals that really excite you and massive motivation to take action, sometimes life challenges us to remain on track. Holding yourself accountable for consistent action can be tough at times, which is where a GCT Coach can really make a difference. A coach will help you develop the strategies necessary to get the results you want.

As Oprah Winfrey was once quoted, “Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” So to do your BEST in 2009 stay positive, be passionate and follow the recommended action points. Good luck and we wish you all the best in 2009.