“Position yourself to be found. Package yourself to be bought.” ~ Derrick Samuels
Here are seven reasons reasons why the new year doesn’t change things for many people.
1. Plugged in but not switched on. New Year’s Day comes with new resolutions, but a new resolution on its own does not produce results. Having a New Year’s resolution is good because it’s like having your cable plugged in to the wall; however, being plugged in is not enough.
Here is the issue with so many people in the new year: they have plans without action. They have wood but no fire. They have cars with empty tanks. They have dreams without hard work. They revel in the resolution they made in the new year without the unwavering resolve to put it on the locomotive of action, determination, and accountability. It is important that you remember to not only plug in but also switch on. Many people forget this all-important component of success, unfortunately.
2. The new year, the same strategy. If this year is to be different, it will be because you are willing to do things differently. Thomas Jefferson purportedly said, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” In other words, you need to do things differently to see a difference.
John D. Rockefeller Jr. was right on point when he said, “The secret of success is to do the common thing uncommonly well.” Doing things differently sets the pace for distinction and successes in life.
3. The new year, the old environment. The environment we operate in, whether in life or in business, affects how much value we get out of it. Not all environments are favorable for succes. While some environments promote success, others impede and frustrate it. That is why the environment in which you operate matters.
4. The new year, the closed mind. If you are ever going to achieve greater success, you must have a mind filled with robust knowledge and information. You must be ready and willing to learn, from both the expected and unexpected quarters, a mind that accommodates and tolerate others. Closed-mindedness can shield you from some of the greater opportunities life may offer you.
5. The new year, the success of the old year. Success is good. Success is worth celebrating! But success can also be a trap, especially when you allow last year’s success to hinder future successes. Many people want to bask in the euphoria of their last success to the point that they forget to enroll themselves in the path of continued success.
6. The new year, the stagnant you. Stagnation, as I’ve always said, is the enemy of remaining fresh. Nothing that is fresh can result from that which is stale. If you allow stagnation to prevail in the new year, you will not fulfill those New Year’s resolutions you made at the beginning of the year. Stand up like a champion and fight for the realization of your resolutions. If it is good, it is worth fighting for.
7. The new you, the overambitious you. Being ambitious is good, but much of the time we fall prey to the bad habit of trying to do too many things all at once. This is because we often fail to prioritize tasks in order of their importance, value and rewards. It is better to have one important task done excellently than to have many goals with little or no time to work on them.
Does that mean we should not multitask? No, but it does mean that we should prioritize those tasks. When goals are not prioritized, we can lose focus and become vulnerable to unnecessary stress and confusion.
Make this year the “doing” year
The truth is that the new year doesn’t change anything; rather, it is the “new you” that brings desired change in the new year. Make this year the “doing” year. One thing I can assure you of is that this year will cooperate with those who cultivate “doing” habits.
Make up your mind to never have a better “last year” and to always cultivate a better “next year.” I encourage you to:
- do your best
- think your best
- see the best live your best
- believe the best behave your best
- become the best.
Derrick Samuels, Ph.D., PMP is founder and president of Derrick Samuels Leadership, an author and speaker.
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