This Thing is Everything - New Life Resolutions Pt 8
At the start of every year, I publish a post in the New Life Resolutions series... Its one of the most important posts of any year. I have done this for the past 7 years and the idea behind the series was born out of a response to (and as an alternative for) New Year Resolutions. I just knew there had to be a better way to think about that.
I like how I penned it down in Part 3: The Paradigm Shift on Resolutions
"If it is really worth fighting to change that thing this year,
it should really be worth maintaining that change every year."
Tobi Atte
I have spent the last 7 years eager to help people get the paradigm shift that will move them harder and faster towards their goals in life.
This year is a little different. I am not just eager. I am kinda desperate.
And as I have thought about this more and more, I have come to a major conclusion that the rest of this post will be about. Here it is:
VISION IS EVERYTHING.
I mean E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G
You and I have to do all we can ...as quickly as we can this year, to get clarity on the vision not just for this year, but for our lives.
There are so many layers to this: (Brace for the truth...in true IJMM fashion, this won't all be comfortable)
1. In order to set a clear and actionable vision for our year and our lives, we have to start by taking FULL responsibility.
Responsibility for the way we have spent our time...our resources...our money. I mean c'mon. You watch like 6 hours of TV every single week but you're talking about "there is no time to pursue your goals?" That's like 24 hours every month. Like...for real. What would happen if you decided to track and spend those additional 24 hrs working towards your dream each month?
It is scary but it is true.
You are where you are in life today because of
the decisions you made yesterday.
Now...if that is true, shouldn't you be consciously trying to make good decisions today? (Especially with these critical resources)
2. Many of us set goals without setting vision first.
That just doesn't work. It's like having tree branches that are not connected to a tree trunk. It's not sustainable. In order for your goals to have the sap they need ...in order for your goals to have the deep energy they need...that inexplicable stuff that shows up as grit and tenacity ...they must be tied to an overall vision for your life.
This is a huge reason why goals and new year resolutions don't work or don't have sustained energy by the middle of the year.
It's as though the forces within us know its no longer the "New Year" by March so they resist the changes we seek to make. Having a New LIFE Resolution as I like to call it and having a strong vision for your life, are the ways to shut those voices up and whip those forces into the work it takes to do/become/create/manifest this change. It's your way to push for the long game
3. We don't achieve our goals because we don't respect, appreciate, protect, nurture or even like ourselves enough.
Yes. I. Am. Going. There.
We all work around like we have self-confidence and that we have our stuff together. But the truth is that many of us don't even like ourselves. I talking about self loathe or self hate and all that. I am talking about the sometimes-just-as -dangerous deep self UNappreciation.
How does this show up?
We find it hard to keep promises to our own selves.
Think about it. If you failed to keep your promises to your friend, love-interest, spouse, HALF as much as you fail to keep your own promises to yourself, would they still be with you? nah...it'll be a tumultuous relationship.
We keep promising ourselves to do things that we never follow through on. Do we really not like our selves that much? Do you really have that little appreciation for yourself? Cos a much as this might make you uncomfortable, it's worth asking.
Why do you break so many promises to yourself? You hide behind "being nice to people/ caring about others etc but that is not what I am proposing you stop.
I am asking you to stop living off the approval of people and start looking inwards a bit more.
I am asking you to start respecting your own goals a bit more
I am asking you to stop living off the euphoria of effort (trying only a little just to say that at least you tried) and follow through to getting the results you want in your life
4. We set goals based on who we think others want us to be right now, not based on who we have the potential and/or calling to be.
How much of your goals are actually yours? Like...DEEPLY yours?
Do a lot of your goals start with statements like
"I really should..."
"It'll be great if I could just..."
See, that is just not going to work this year. How about setting vision and goals that come from places like:
"I will not be happy if I don't..."
"More than anything else right now, I need to..."
"My children/future children will have a better life/parent if I just ..."
See the difference?
At the base of all this, is a VISION. It is EVERYTHING.
I am creating some amazing content around this in the next few weeks and I can wait to share it with you. In the meantime, really start thinking about your life and your vision for it.
If money and time were not a problem, what would your life look like at the highest level? (irrespective of career type, income level, location, and those types of life indicators.)
What would it feel like if you were living your best life right now?
Start there. Just like the Bible says in Habakkuk Chapter 2 vs 2, "Write the vision. Make it plain, that he may run who reads it" (So that YOU can run with it when you read it!)
Stop everything. Stop all the noise....hibernate for a couple of days if you must. Get a clear vision and the build from there.
See you at the top my friends.
Here is something else to consider. LIFE ON TRACK. A powerful self-paced vision session to create a God-anchored vision for your life, create the mission areas that drive it, and create the structure in your life that will make it a reality.
Here are also past articles in the series: