Evaluate for a successful year

It’s that time of year again! 

2020 is here and with a new year comes pressure to set some annual goals – the obligatory figuring out where we want our businesses, relationships, and other life matters to go next. 

But goal setting is often a frustrating process because of past experiences… we set goals that we ended up giving up, missing the mark on or just blatantly fail at. Regardless, we know there is value in the process of reflecting on the year past and using that evaluation to spearhead new directions, initiatives or practices.  

So how can we change our mindset and focus on the benefits of goal setting?

Focus on this – the act of evaluating – both failures and successes – is a great outcome of having goals.

Adam Kreek, world-renowned, motivational business leader and Canadian Olympian athlete speaks about learning from failure and it’s important effect on our work. 

In his 2019 book The Responsibility Ethic, Adam notes,

“The emotional downside of [setting] big goals isn’t the fear of feeling you’ve failed… It’s the feeling that you are a failure. 

The key is to realize that there are valuable lessons to be learned from non-attainment. I personally believe that failure in many ways is as important to us as success. Success and failure are, in fact, two sides of the same coin.”

1 – There is more potential when you put something on paper – Write it down and look at it regularly! If you have created goals with your team, review them together on paper. Seeing it printed makes it real and heightens responses that call you to your goals.

 

2 – Use your Calendar to Help you Achieve your Goals – If your goal is to have more work-life balance, schedule time for that so it is protected and sacredly cherished. If your goal is to grow your business with better marketing strategies or financial planning, then schedule time each week to manage those tasks to allow your goals to flourish. If it is important to progress, schedule it!

 

If you are able to evaluate your past hills and valleys through reflection, and then grow from them, you are ready for 2020. Your goals will be more realistic and your willingness to take risks to propel your business forward will prevail.

“It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.”

Bill Gates

Adam Kreek is one of North America’s top Management Consultants and Executive Coaches with degrees and certifications from Stanford University, UBC Sauder School of Business, and Queens Smith School of Business. He is a guest lecturer and teaches strategies and skills of self-leadership, leadership, high performance and perseverance to corporate and government teams globally.

A two-time Olympian, Adam holds 60 international medals, including Olympic Gold, and multiple hall of fame inductions. In 2013, Adam made the first ever attempt to row unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to America, the subject of the NBC Dateline Documentary, Capsized.

See his new book online, The Responsibility Ethic (with links to purchase).

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