An approach to creating the 2013 you want

Posted by  Kevin Bishop —January 4, 2013
Filed in Communication

The start of a new year is a great time to think about the year ahead. What you want to achieve. What you want to do more of. What you want to stop. Basically to start with a fresh page and think about how you can actively work to create the year you want, rather than one that just happens to you.

Now, the good old new year resolution approach has never really worked for me. You know the one. “I will contact 3 prospective new clients each week”, “I will go to the gym 3 times a week”, “I will stop eating chocolate” etc. etc.

There’s a whole number of reasons why this hasn’t worked for me, but I think one of the biggest is that there is no real connection between these tasks and some bigger goal. Nothing to connect me and remind me of why I am doing it. When times get tough, and there are a million competing and conflicting priorities and demands, what will bring me back to what I really want, and is important to me?

Well, I found a technique on Chris Brogan’s blog that might help me, and that I am going to try out in 2013.

On his blog, Chris explains that every year since 2006, instead of coming out with resolutions at the start of each year, he chooses 3 words instead. 3 words to help focus his goals and efforts for the coming year. 3 words to give him the big picture for what he wants to achieve, not the small picture of individual actions.

To choose 3 words that can be used;

..as lighthouses to guide you through stormy seas, that can be used as flags on the battlefield of your challenges, words that will bolster you and give you a direction that goes beyond the goals you might attach as a result of these words.

I really liked this idea so I spent some time thinking and come up with my three words for 2013:

Clients – I will be closer to my existing clients, and continue to develop relationships and connections to new clients in 2013. I will continue to work to ensure Anecdote is seen as a ‘trusted advisor’ when clients are looking to make their strategy stick, build engagement amongst their people, develop their leaders, or improve the way they communicate through storytelling. I will work harder to understand my client needs and how we can help them meet them.

Create – There are two massive, and very exciting, pieces of work in 2013 that require me to create. To have the discipline to spent some time each day, and each night thinking, reading and, ultimately, writing. To create the routines and habits that allow me the time and space to create, and to put in place the rewards when I do. This is one of the aspects of my job I love the most, but this year is about bringing in disciplines, habits and deadlines to really allow me to achieve what I want this year.

Control – This is about my health and wellbeing. I am an insulin dependant diabetic, and therefore controlling my blood sugars is a huge part of me continuing to be healthy. But to achieve this there are a number of things that have to happen. I need to be physically fitter. I need to weigh less. I need to monitor my blood sugars throughout the day to even know if I am in control. I need to cut down on sugar in my diet. Control is the word that resonates for me to bring all of these things into focus.

There you have it. My 3 words for 2013 – Client. Create. Control.

What are your 3 words for the coming year?

About  Kevin Bishop

Comments

  1. Very interesting. Thanks.

  2. Kevinsbishop says:

    Thanks Victor, glad you enjoyed.

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