Setting your GPS for the new year

Donna M. Gray,

Happy new year! Time flies when we’re having fun! It seems like just the other day it was Jan. 1, 2018, and now here we are already starting another year. It’s time to set the GPS for success in the coming year.

Winston Churchill said, “You can only see as far as you look.” Each January we try to look ahead and work on long-range goals that will take us to a profitable business by year’s end. I asked a business coach for some help with putting these goals into play for the coming year. Here are some of her suggestions:

  • Write down any and all thoughts on what you want to accomplish with the company. This helps to review, revise, and rework the goals until they fit with the success plan for the new year.
  • Focus on and prioritize critical issues. Think about and plan for getting additional advice and information on working on those issues. Get very clear on what needs to change. Determine crystal-clear goals for improving or making changes.
  • Each morning, take some time to focus on and figure out how to be more productive with the two most important tasks of the day.
  • Focus on incremental improvement. Great results take time. Small changes that are applied consistently over time are how you get from good to great.
  • Write down five accomplishments every day. Sometimes it’s too easy to get bogged down in all the difficulties of daily business. Looking at and appreciating your accomplishments is like that spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down.
  • Meet and talk with successful, positive people as often as you can. Networking with folks like these adds momentum to the quest for your own success.

Even though New Year’s Day has come and gone, there’s still time to plan for significant changes. After reading a recent column by Dr. Zorba Paster in our local paper, I realized that the time is NOW to plan for and have the life that makes me happy. So, I’m going to:

  • Create a clear vision for what I want for myself and our company, so I can set my GPS to make this happen.
  • Treasure the moments with family and friends. I’m blessed with wonderful people in my life. I want to enjoy every interaction I have with them. I want to be there for my husband, Dave, and our children, grandchildren, and great grandchild.
  • Connect with relatives and friends in other parts of the country. No excuses…make the effort to visit even if just by phone, email, text, or Snapchat. My precious granddaughter and great granddaughter live a few hours away, but through Snapchat I get to enjoy all the “firsts.” It was delightful to witness her first steps not too long ago.
  • Get more sleep! This is harder the older we get.
  • Challenge my brain and learn to do new things.
  • Keep a positive attitude and cut down on complaining.
  • Allow myself to be in the present moment. While it’s difficult to put aside business challenges and other situations, living mindfully can make for a better quality of life.
  • Never give up! This was our son David’s motto. Even though he was challenged with epilepsy at 23 years old (that’s what took his life in 2002 at 33 years of age) his love for stand-up comedy and his quick wit compelled him to keep on keeping on.
  • Set my personal GPS to love the life I have!

I wish you all a very happy and successful new year!

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