As we step into 2024, I hope that you are taking time to ask yourself the right questions?
Each end of year, the pressure is on each one of us to go out and plan our next year and make ‘New year’s resolutions’ from either a personal or business perspective, but do we ever really stop to ask the right questions before diving headfirst into a New Year? Do we ever really stop to look back and see what we have already achieved before once again striving for new goals? Achievement comes in all shapes and sizes, there is no one achievement bigger than another. They don’t need to be world shattering; they do need to be important to you.
If you know me or have worked with me, you will know that I am and always have been a great believer in ‘baby steps’ from the very beginning. It is what got me to France in the first place. It is what has helped me build a successful relocation business. I’ve always had my vision of where I wanted to go, even as a small child, it’s taken most of my lifetime to get there. Hold that vision and each day you will take a step in the right direction.
I guess nowadays my ‘baby steps’ would be called ‘chunking it down’ into achievable goals, but for me it’s always been my baby steps. Much like reaching out to the ‘universe’ for what we want for me has always been about ‘what goes around, comes around’. Same beliefs, different wording, and steady successful results. Each result is an achievement and one step closer to the vision.
'Achievement comes in all shapes and sizes, there is no one achievement bigger than another. They don’t need to be world shattering; they do need to be important to you.'
Now, I know many of us are averse to any type of ‘resolution’ for the New Year as experience shows us that they last about 3.5 days (slight exaggeration maybe but yeh, been there)!! Others need objectives to kick start themselves into the new year and then exhaust themselves by March (does that ring any bells?). I have spent years ensuring that I tip toe into a New Year, and have spent a lot of time and money investing in myself and my business to get to where I am – so it doesn’t happen overnight. It starts, though, with asking yourself the right questions and should include asking questions about what you have achieved first, before fixing new goals.
As we finish our first month of January, ensure you ask yourself gently about what you want to achieve this year, maybe based on last year’s achievements too. Did you look at what you did last year? Then maybe that is the place to start… How can you move forward if you are not sure where you come from? I do this exercise every year and you can see a highlight of mine here.
This is how I do it, usually over a coffee at the sea front with my notepad:
- Start by writing a list of your top achievements from the previous year (can be business or professional or both). Try and get as many down as you can (at least 20). They don’t have to be financial, it’s not always about money. Did you celebrate these wins? Did you shout from the rooftops?
- Write down the things that you would have liked to have done but didn’t get around to and why. Do this with no judgement on yourself.
- Write down at least 10 things that you would love to do in 2022, again it can be a mixture of business and private
- Choose the top 6 from your list (I usually choose 3 business, 3 personal).
- Plan them out on a calendar over 12 months
- Make them happen, each day one baby step at a time!
If you need any support, do not hesitate to reach out to the LBS team, we have been there, and we can support you in your relocation and business objectives.
