Monday, February 24, 2014

How to Truly Make It a Year to Remember

“Let’s make it a great year!”

We’ve all heard motivational statements like that one. Maybe you’ve even said something like it.

While it’s a great sentiment, it can be pretty intimidating. A whole year? That’s a big challenge.

leadership-transitioning
But you can do it, and the simplest, most practical way is to break that year down into smaller portions.

Before you can have an excellent year, first have an excellent month. Before that, an excellent week…day…hour…and so forth.

When I say excellent, I don’t just mean in the business sense. Remember, it’s important to have balance in the four key areas of life: physical, spiritual, intellectual and personal.

Too often we feel like we need to fill every minute with activity and accomplishment. That can cause us to lose sight of what’s truly important in life. Relaxation and quality personal time are important to accomplish our goals in all aspects of our lives.

So how can we achieve that balance? By creating a plan, reviewing it on a regular basis, and remaining committed to carrying it out.

I’ve written before about the importance of reminding yourself when you were at the top of your game. Maybe you’re there now. Maybe you were there in the past. How did it feel? What were you doing? Who were you spending your time with, or working with, and how did they influence you in a positive way?

Sometimes the secret to personal success can be found in recapturing those moments and making them a reality once again. When we’re at the top of our game, we’re more focused and more balanced in our professional and personal lives. Just as important, we need to be surrounded by the right people, people who support us and are willing to give honest, constructive feedback, because they have our best interest at heart.

How is this year going for you? If the big picture has you feeling overwhelmed, break it down into smaller snapshots. Make the next hour a great one. That can lead to a great day…week… month…and you’ll be on your way.

At J.A. Ondrus, LLC, we personalize our coaching process to fit your specific needs and goals. Give us a call at (330) 754-5767, and let’s talk about your business and what we can do to assist you.


Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.