Let’s make 2016 an awesome year! Trust you have already done the two activities recommended in my blog in taking the best of 2015 to make the best of 2016. Having done that would help in making this activity even more powerful. The first blog is about doing a gratitude list; people and happenings durign the year that you are grateful for. This activity makes us generate the positive energy required to gear up for the new year. See more details about this activity following this link. The second blog is about taking stock of 2015. See more details about this activity following this link. However if you are short of time you may do the activity in this blog post as a stand-alone activity and make a note to re-visit the earlier two activities if time permits.

We prepare our mind for success and failure based on how we programme, condition and prepares it. A positive mind will activate the ‘Reticular Activating System’ [RAS] to experience [see, hear, feel, smell, taste] positive situations if we are looking for it and open to it. Therefore if you are looking for the ideal ‘Masters Degree’ to pursue in 2016, once you see, hear and feel yourself enjoying pursuing the masters degree successfully in your mind, your brain will filter and pick up ides for the ‘Masters Degree’ from the millions of stimuli bombarding us every second of our life.

Gearing up for an awesome 2016

Given below are two processes. The first process will help you come up with an inspirational plan. The second is to take steps in implementing the plan. Given below are the steps in coming up with the inspirational plan; this can be done individually, with your family or with your team.

Step 1: List down three big goals you [or your family or your team] would like to achieve in 2016.

Step 2: List the attitude changes you need in each of the following areas: Physical Wellbeing, Knowledge & skills, Values that creates a positive spirit, Relationships, Management of time, Allocation of resources [funds, talent & physical resources] in order to achieve the 3 big goals. EG: Attitude change: Old knowledge worked for me last year, I need new knowledge for me to do new things to achieve my goals for 2016.

Step 3: List the belief change you need in each of the following areas: Physical Wellbeing, Knowledge & skills, Values that creates a positive spirit, Relationships, Management of time, Allocation of resources [funds, talent & physical resources] in order to achieve the 3 big goals. EG: I believe I have the intellectual capacity to enhance my knowledge.

Step 4: List behaviour changes you need in each of the following areas: Physical Wellbeing, Knowledge & skills, Values that creates a positive spirit, Relationships, Management of time, Allocation of resources [funds, talent & physical resources] in order to achieve the 3 big goals. EG: I will start my day thinking of my big goals and doing a mental rehearsal of me achieving my tasks planned for the day.

Executing the plans for 2016

Lets’ make sure that the exercise so far does not end up only as a nice document. The following specific steps will ensure its execution.

Step 1: Illustrating – Do this alone, with your family or with your team, based on the scope of your project that is already planned in the earlier step. Draw a picture, record a speech or make a prototype of you [or your family or team] of achieving those goals. Use any material you like to do it, but the main thing is to make it a fun, exciting and inspiring activity. If you are a visual person, draw it or make a collage, if you are an auditory person, record a speech you here after having achieving it and if you are a kinesthetic person make a prototype.

Step 2: Experiencing – Experience the project taking place mentally by creating a rich multi-sensory depiction (See, Hear, Feel, Taste & Smell) everyday for at least for 21 days. Repetition of any activity for 21 days makes it a habit. Success is a habit.

Step 3: Create a plan for each big goal; decide on specific activities, time frames, budgets and responsible persons for each relevant activity.

Step 4: When you plan your day every morning, makes sure the ‘to do list’ has the new behaviours right at the top. Plan to get them done as early as possible every day. This will create the foundation for your success. Thereafter plan to take forward the actions listed for each goal in step 3 above by taking baby steps. That will ensure you move towards realizing goals everyday.

Step 5: Review the day at the end of the day, celebrate successes and resolve to do better in areas that were neglected or done below satisfaction.

Step 6: Do a monthly review of the plans and achievement and take steps to build on the successes and make up for any short falls the next month.

Use reminder methods using your computers, smart devices or simple post-it notes to ensure you are reminded to take action and be on track.

These steps will help ensure you are purposeful [by setting goals and a balanced set of actions], you enlist and engage the passion of your self, family and team [by agreeing on and improving attitudes and beliefs in the process] and you are disciplined [by following the methodical plan recommended].

We are all destined to succeed. We are geared for success. Lets make it real.

Wish you an awesome 2016.