I recently read two separate blog entries concerning Lessons from 2009 by Corinne McElroy and Kim Clausen. After reading theirs, I was inspired to create my own list of lessons from 2009. I hope you enjoy these!
1. Know what’s really important in your life, then focus your attention on the most important areas. I re-shuffled my priorities during this year to focus more time on my family and growing my business. If you need some help in focusing, just remember who will write your epitaph.
2. Live by your core values. This year, I felt out of balance and a bit conflicted at times. I realized that these feelings occurred when what I was doing conflicted with my core values. Making decisions that align with your core values will enable you to live a more fulfilling life.
3. Live your life with high integrity. Do what you say you’ll do, and apologize for the ripple effect when you are unable to meet your commitments. And remember what Yoda says, “Do or do not, there is no try.”
4. Have “fierce conversations” coming from a place of love and support. Be candid, forthright, open, honest and frank with people. Speak the truth as you see it. The people I’ve had these conversations with have thanked me for this precious gift.
5. Slow down. This year, I took on less and made fewer commitments. The result was that I was able to enjoy life more, complete my work with high quality, and be in the moment more. Best of all, I created room in my life so that I could take advantage of new opportunities that presented themselves.
6. Set goals…and write them down in a prominent place. Having goals…even Big Hairy Aggressive Goals…is a great way to maintain focus and move forward. Chase goals that are inspiring and motivate you to move forward. And be realistic, too. Remember that life happens, and it’s OK to adapt/change your goals based on new learning and insights. I had some goals for 2009 that I revamped because other opportunities arose.
7. Celebrate your successes (and learn from them too)! Celebrating will help keep your momentum going along the way. And, it makes your journey more fun! I had several key milestones this year that I celebrated…some with a “happy dance” and others with a great dinner out!
8. It’s OK to fail! Failing is where the juicy learning comes in. By failing, recognize that you’re living beyond your comfort zone and are living bigger than you did before. If you’re really bold, celebrate your failures by focusing on what you learned! I celebrated several failures this past year, and it was really inspiring!
9. Believe in yourself. From my perspective, there are 2 parts to this. The first is to trust and obey your intuition. You’re more tuned in to what’s going on than you realize. Second is to ignore your gremlins / saboteurs. I’ve been working on both of these, and have benefited greatly from the work I’ve done!
10. Be the leader in your life. At Rapport Leadership International, they espouse that leaders develop a plan, take action, and remain flexible to adjust to what develops. So develop a plan for 2010, take action, move forward, and be willing to adjust your plans as you learn more and new opportunities present themselves. I’ve benefited from many unplanned adventures this past year!
11. Aim for excellence. Perfection is over-rated. Producing excellent results is extremely valuable in today’s world. Have you heard of anyone getting fired for producing excellent results?
12. Continuously improve yourself. Accept all feedback as a gift to improve what you do. Continue to grow and you will continue to prosper. This past year, I’ve invested in myself by completing training, reading several inspiring books, and completing my certification work. And I’m continuing to invest in 2010 with additional leadership training.
13. Be authentic, be transparent, be real, be you. Many people need to be seen as…competent, an expert, in charge, better than, etc. Be original by being authentic and transparent. By letting go of needing to be…whatever…, I was privy to more open and deeper conversations.
14. Be kind to others. The kind words or actions you have with other people will have a positive effect on everyone, including you! I have had countless opportunities where I’ve changed a person’s day for the better through a kind word or action.
15. Choose your attitude. You are at complete choice regarding your attitude. Choose it wisely. Your attitude is one of the most important contributors to your overall success.
16. Bonus lesson – Journal as a form of meditation. I have benefited greatly by journaling. And, by reviewing my journal periodically, I get to experience the emotions of my successes and failures again, as well as remember the lessons I’ve learned along the way. I also write down 3 things that I’m grateful for in my life in each journal entry, which I find to be a great help in adjusting my attitude.
There you have it, my 16 lessons from 2009. What struck you from my lessons? What does your lesson list look like? I’d love to hear from you.
Wishing you all a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
Gary
Image by Jerry Segraves
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Gary–These are great lessons! I have used many of them, myself. If you don’t mind, I’d like to share them with others. Thank you for being precise!
Thanks for the feedback, Trish! Feel free to share these with others. I sincerely hope my post helps!