First a quote: “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” – Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Each Monday I end my weekly missive with the question, “How will you lead differently, or better, this week?” Today I open with a broader version of the same question, “How will you lead differently, or better, this coming year?
While the following is certainly a cliché, it is also true that tomorrow is not only the first day of the new year, it is also the first day of the rest of your life. Regardless of what has happened in the past, or your current position today, you can choose to begin anew in 2019. Country singer Brad Paisley said it this way, “Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.”
As you contemplate the coming new year, I offer a few questions for your thoughtful consideration:
- What gave you the most satisfaction, joy or happiness in 2018?
- What are you most proud of?
- What were the most important lessons of 2018? Key lessons learned?
- How would you like 2019 to be different?
- Who is “the you” you most aspire to be in the future? Describe your “best self”. Be specific. (Never compare yourself to others, instead, compare yourself against the person you aspire to be, your “best self”.)
- What can you teach others this year?
- In what ways can you better serve others in 2019?
- In what ways can you make “your world” a better place? (“Your world” includes the things and the people around you; i.e., the people you love, live with, work with, serve and the strangers with whom you come across as you go about your day.)
- What barriers do you need to overcome?
- Who can help you? Who can you help?
- In what ways can you be a positive influence in the lives of others in the days ahead?
How will you lead differently, or better, in the coming year?
All the best in 2019! Give your best. Do your best. Be your best and the best shall be returned to you in full. I promise.
Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Bryan Yager
208.376.1701
“Expanding Your Capacity for Success”
