Tonight marks the swans song for 2014 as well as a fresh start in 2015. I really enjoy the last day of the calendar year and like to take a few minutes to reflect on all that has happened both good and bad. Sometimes you will find that you didn’t have the best year or that you didn’t accomplish all that you wanted; however, that doesn’t mean that you can’t hang your hat on something worth while. Maybe you didn’t accomplish your biggest goals but I am sure we can all find some small victories along the way. Timing plays a key role in any goal or dream. Patience is a must and cannot be overlooked. Failure is also a key ingredient to success. Tales of success are almost always riddled with speed bumps, detours, and hazards.
Lets take a look at Steven Spielberg, he was rejected from film school 3 times before he got accepted into a lesser known school only to dropout. Spielberg went on to direct many blockbuster movies. Another example are The Beatles, Decca Recording Studios recorded 15 songs and told them that their style was on the way out. How foolish Decca must of felt when The Beatles became a worldwide sensation.
At the start of a new year many people love to come up with resolutions or goals that will help themselves become better. Personally I am a huge supporter of self improvement, but I think that we all have the wrong mindset. All too often we give up on a goal or resolution because we fail or slip up. I want to give encouragement and support to everyone by letting them know this is normal. I honestly can’t think of anything in life that comes easy without any setbacks.
Lets use school as an example. When you are first starting a new course you are not expected to know the subject matter on the first day of class, all that is expected is that you follow the guidelines and put forth the necessary effort to learn. Goals are just like a class. You must have a plan in place.
1. Write your goal down and place it somewhere it will be seen daily.
2. Tell people!
3. Break it up into manageable tasks.
4. Set dates that you can check your progress
5. Stay positive and confident.
A rhetorical question that I love to constantly ask myself is, ” Why not me?” These simple three words can give you all the confidence in the world to accomplish anything. There is no reason why it can’t be me! There are some stipulations that accompany that phrase. In order for it to be you sacrifices must be made. You must be willing to take the time and put forth the hard work to be victorious. It will take humility as well! There will come times in your trek that you will need the help and expertise of others. In those times you must be willing to learn and display discipline to follow their words.
Another word of advice is run your own race! The only person you should be in competition with is yourself as your are trying to succeed in meeting your goals. In those times that we compare ourselves to others we can become disappointed or feel inferior. These two feelings can derail any attempt at success. Stay within yourself and stay focused. Do not allow a slip-up or failure cause you to miss out on your potential!
Our futures can be as bright as we will allow it. I like to think of my life as a big painting. As we are born we have a relatively blank canvas, as we grow and develop we begin to forge our own masterpiece. We are our own artist! With the right attitude and self-belief there isn’t anything that is impossible. Some may disagree but those are the people who tend to be full of regret and self-doubt.
2015 can be your best year yet! All of the power lies within you to make it the best one yet.
“Why Not You?”
What will you choose to paint?
Nunc Coepi 