New decade: New you! Use your 2020 goals to envision the future you want

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As the calendar flips to a new year, nearly every single one of us makes a conscious effort to think about what we would like to change in the coming year. It may not always be in the form of a new year resolution; it also could be thinking about your word of the year or creating a work wall to align your efforts or for a business, articulating the strategic objectives. But why? Why does a new year or a new decade trigger this need to plan, organize, and change? According to Wharton’s Kathy Milkman, there is a science behind the “fresh start” effect, and we can harness that renewed energy to maintain our habits beyond the new year. https://megaphone.link/CAD8648735009

Success takes planning

So, let us channel this momentum provided by the beginning of a new decade to do something good for yourselves. But, success requires discipline, a plan – it’s not just one thing which will get you to your goal but an amalgamation of 100 small actions. It’s a matter of creating habits of energy and attention, which drive you to success and here are some strategies provided by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Build a system for getting 1% better every day

The world is abuzz with news about the skills crisis we are in today. According to the World Economic Forum, Jobs of Tomorrow: Mapping Opportunity in the New Economy, there are 6.1 million jobs available globally. These jobs are focused on the adoption of new technologies but also the human aspect of analyzing and managing them. This changing nature of work requires a mindset of continuous learning. Acquiring new skills and keeping your skills wallet fresh can seem like a daunting task. Apply the 2-minute rule and do it one podcast, one YouTube video, one blog post at a time until it becomes a habit and not a chore you have to find time to explicitly complete.

Focus more on the identity than the outcome

Whatever your goal for yourself, maybe – question the type of person you need to be to achieve that goal. So, if the goal is to drive social eminence, think through the kind of person that represents. It’s someone who is well respected in the industry; someone who has established credibility and is considered as a subject matter expert. The focus then becomes more about performing actions that help you become that person – it becomes more about becoming a credible expert rather than the size of your LinkedIn network or the number of reactions to your article.

Design your environment to make success easier

Identify your instruments of success and surround yourself with them. These could include an intellectually challenging but supportive professional network and easy access to learning opportunities. This could also include your physical environment – your desk at work, or your office at home, or the kitchen counter and make the actions of least resistance the good and productive ones and increase the friction of the things that take your attention away.

Develop a stronger identity and believe in yourself

Change your internal narrative and show up for yourself. The more we give ourselves credit for the small wins we have each day, the more self-confidence we build and the higher our chances of becoming successful are! So yes, each day we read, we listen, we watch, we network, and we put our best foot forward – is a day towards actualizing our goals.

So, as we head into 2020 with more mindfulness and an acute awareness of the need to change, may we do so with optimism and enthusiasm. Happy Learning!