People Power - February 2011

By Scott Humphrey

If research and my local gym are right, by now many who made New Year’s resolutions are already starting to falter in their commitments. Psychologists suggest that one of the reasons New Year’s resolutions don’t stick is because we have been programmed to believe that they will fail. So I am not challenging you to make a New Year’s resolution. Instead, I am challenging you to make a New You resolution. Starting from the day that you read this article, I want you to do something to change your current situation for the better. Here are some quick, but maybe not so easy, steps to change your life and your business positively in 2011.

Have a purpose. Change that is not attached to a purpose is change that will not last. It’s that simple. Here is another simple but true statement that may help you determine your next step, “The deeper the purpose, the more likely you are to make lasting change.” What I am challenging you to do is to find depth of purpose. In a three-day leadership summit I once conducted, participants were allowed, on day three, to get up and share what would change for them from this point forward. One gentleman shared that he would quit smoking again, but this time for good. He shared that in the past he had quit for himself, but this time he was quitting for his children. This man had found a reason to follow through with his goal, watching his children grow up.

I challenge you to write out your own purpose statement. This is very similar to the mission statement that many organizations use to focus their business efforts. Every business should have one and so should every individual. You are not here by accident. You have a purpose, and this is the year you will start living it.

Here is the statement that hangs in my office: “I will impact the lives of my family, my friends, my community, my country, and my world by using my God-given talents and resources to inspire others to find their purpose in life, to rise above the norm, and to live their dreams.”

Predetermined point. What is your desired destination, and how long are you going to give yourself to get there? Better yet, what is your first milestone? This is the point at which you afford yourself the opportunity to stretch even further in your goal of living your life to the fullest. This is the point where you look back, reassess your success, celebrate, and become even more confident that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. One important note: be realistic. Outside of unrealistic goals the major factor in failed goal setting is not allowing a realistic timeframe for accomplishments.

Have a plan. This is where you answer how you plan to accomplish the changes necessary to live the life you have decided to live. Build in opportunities to celebrate the small successes on the way to your milestone. Without the celebrations, the plan becomes nothing more than a map with way too many have tos and not enough get tos. Done correctly, this road to purpose can be an enjoyable ride. In reality, it should be a ride that never ends.

Have a passion. This probably seems like a crazy way to end an article on goal setting, but I want you to get mad. Get angry! That is the passion we rarely tap into that has the potential to drive us toward better businesses and better lives when focused correctly. I would like to help by suggesting a few things at which you can get mad.

Mediocrity: Get mad at it in others and certainly get mad at it in yourself. You are not intended to live a life of mediocrity but one of purpose, so get mad at how you have settled in your life up until now. Use that anger as a motivator to change your path and your destination.

Naysayers: I don’t know about you, but I am sick and tired of people who are constantly telling me what is not possible. They think they can’t, so they don’t. They would like for you and me to join them in their endless journey to nowhere. But in order to avoid becoming like them, don’t focus your anger at the person. Instead, rebel against their message. They are likely where they are because they were surrounded by too many naysayers throughout their lives. Get angry with the message of these satisfied strugglers and turn the tables to encourage those around you who are discouraged.

Yourself: Finally, it is okay to get mad at yourself, but be careful only to use that anger as a motivator. Once you have yelled at yourself for not reaching higher, focus forward. That person you were mad at will no longer exist in you. You will be on the path to fulfilling your purpose in life. You will accomplish more, see more, do more, dare more, share more, encourage more and succeed more.

I am so serious about you finding and living this life of purpose and fulfilling your New You resolution that I would like to hold you accountable and encourage you along your journey. If you would allow me this privilege, simply email me with your resolution. It can be personal or professional. I will periodically send you a message of encouragement. The life of purpose can be a lonely road at times. Let’s go through this one together. Though research tells me very few of you will accept this challenge, I look forward to hearing from those of you who will.

Want to have a great 2011? Follow the simple steps I have laid out above and I’m sure that you will!

Print the Article