How I Start My Year

01 Jan How I Start My Year

I’m sharing my January routine with you with the hope that it will bring you success through creating intention and momentum in a mindful way.

First, I reflect on all the things I am grateful for from the year passing, both small and large. I refuse to focus on deficits or problems but only things I am grateful for. This both puts me in a place of happiness but also reminds me what I want to create more of.

If hard things have happened, I focus on the parts of those experiences I’m grateful for. My mom died this past year. Losing her was very hard but I’m so grateful I got to spend her last week by her side, that I got to witness her quiet strength facing death, that I learned so much through her transition from life to death. Most of all, I got to hold her as she took her final breath.

After I am complete meditating on gratitude, I reflect on my intentions for the year ahead. Intentions set a direction of where I want to focus. I don’t make resolutions or goals because both are punishing and limiting.

Resolutions are promises waiting to be broken because they tend to be yes or no propositions. Research shows the average resolution is given up within 48 hours. Goals are also limiting because they often focus on something measurable like “grow my business ten percent” or “lose fifteen pounds.” It’s hard to know if these numbers are achievable or even worse, too small.

Here are some real examples of intention. One of my intentions in 2018 is “to give back more.” I can’t be sure all the ways I can do that in 2018, but by keeping that intention in front of me (and revisiting it weekly) I find I navigate towards action. I also have an intention to “actively and consistently promote the message of my two new books in 2018.”

I could have set a goal to sell a certain number of books but I can’t control how many people read my books! But I can control my own action by consistently doing my best to spread the important ideas in The Five Thieves of Happiness and The Purpose Revolution because I think those ideas can help individuals, companies and society.

I try to keep my intentions to 6-10 and then I review then briefly once per week and more thoroughly once per month to check progress.

Hopefully this helps and I hope some of you might do the same and tell me how it goes. If you want my list of intentions for 2018 send me a note and we will send them along.

I wish you and our world a blessed 2018.

John

John

Dr. John Izzo has spoken to over one million people, advised over 500 companies, authored nine best-selling books, and helped some of the world's most admired companies. He has been a pioneer in creating successful businesses and emerging work trends for over twenty-five years.

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