So January is Over, Now What?
BY MICHAEL SICURANZA
We all start out the new year with the feeling that this year will be different and that the resolutions that we set out for ourselves will be achieved. We hit the gym January 1st at 5am or we save that first monthly amount towards purchasing that new home. But as the month wears on, life gets in the way and it becomes harder to get up or you binge eat Superbowl weekend or the car needs new tires and you don’t have that money towards that new home. In the past I’ve laid out my process to having a great year, but this blog is going to talk about how we can get back on track if things didn’t start exactly the way you wanted. Here are some basic steps that I’ve used to stop myself from completely falling off the rails and getting some numbers back in the win column.
Forgive Yourself – We all make mistakes. We all occasionally don’t do what we are supposed to be doing. What stops us for moving forward is the self-loathing that is associated with those behaviors that we know are bad for us, but we do them anyway. Having the ability to move on and let the mistake go in the past is key. Recognize it, learn from it but don’t torture yourself over it. Learning new habits is hard, take time and discipline – life is not a straight line- be kind to yourself.
How Do You Eat an Elephant? – I talk about Wildly Important Goals (WIGS) but when you get off to a slow start in achieving those goals, they begin to look extremely daunting and overwhelming. As a result, one can be paralyzed into doing nothing. My recommendation is to break the goal down into bite size chunks, so your WIG looks more manageable and realistic. That should help with the motivation and execution. Which bring me to my next point.
Focus on the Activities Not the WIG Itself – One of my favorite books is The Four Disciplines of Execution. There is ton of great information in the book, but my favorite part is the discussion around Leading and Lagging Indicators. Leading Indicators are the activities to help you achieve the goal itself. Tracking and achieving the goal is a Lagging Indicator. So instead of focusing on the scale for example (lagging indicator) focus on exercising three times per week (leading indicator). Instead of focusing on the market/account balances (lagging indicator), focus on saving 15% into your 401k every paycheck (leading indicator).
Pick One Activity That Is Most Impactful – Every year, we all rush to change everything to achieve our WIGS. For example, when it comes to getting healthy, we will hire a trainer, radically change our diet and restrict calories to the point where we are uncomfortable all the time. Too much change can spread us to thin and we only have so much discipline to call upon each day. So, focus on the ONE activity/thing that will give you the biggest return on time/effort. So, using the getting healthy goal as an example, pick one lifestyle change at first – maybe eliminating processed foods. If you’re a business owner, maybe it’s focusing on your customer experience and making sure you talk to every customer every month.
Be Proud of the Successes – So it comes full circle, when you’ve made these smaller adjustments and stick to them, be proud, mentally pat yourself on the back. Know that you have made a big change and that there are more to come.
I hope this is helpful, let me know what you do to get yourself back on track.