IIf you’re like me, I’m sure many of you have pondered your goals and aspirations for 2021. While this is an annual ritual for me, I approached this process differently this year. My typical planning process focused on my professional and personal goals and the “results” I “hoped for” during the year. However, if 2020 had taught us anything, the unthinkable would be possible, and frankly, you or I don’t have much control over all of the potential “what ifs”. This realization forced me to reevaluate my annual planning ritual, and it developed my thinking.
What came out of it was my new recipe for success. I learned that while I thought it was the purpose ascribed to my previous accomplishments, it was the ingredients of the recipe that mattered most. Our mission is to help finance professionals deliver a richer and more thoughtful customer experience. I hope to share my new recipe for success with you so that you can continue to develop your business and ultimately the experience you offer your customers.
Redefine success
One definition of a recipe is “something that is likely to produce a certain result”. This year I thought intensively about the “result”. I’ve always focused on my goals for the year. My definition of success was assessed based on whether I achieved my goals. But as I said earlier, we probably can’t control the outcome. As I thought about previous years, I also found that there were years when I had achieved my goals but wasn’t very happy. In other years I didn’t beat her, but I felt amazing. This self-discovery has helped me redefine success for myself and I encourage you to take a similar journey. What I found out was when I was doing things that I was passionate about, the outcome didn’t matter. I’ve learned that passion leads to motivation. And motivation leads to many wonderful things that you cannot plan for.
Focus on what you can control
What excites me the most is where to focus in 2021. But what do I do with it? The January 2020 version of me would have felt very uncomfortable with this setting. My mindset for 2021 is to follow that belief and see where it leads me. To accomplish this mission, I focus on what I can control. I know this is an old saying, but it has a new understanding of me. These are the simple ingredients for my recipe for success that anyone can focus on in order to achieve their definition of success.
- Your mindset– Only you can control your mindset. In a world that is constantly making noise, it can be very difficult to evoke fear, greed, fear, and any other emotion. 2020 took these emotions to a whole new level. The fact is, your mindset and attitude can help you move forward or stop you on your footsteps. What I learned is that there are many ways to control your mindset. Some examples of what people practice on a daily basis are the following: gratitude, listening to music, meditation, helping others, exercise, and the list can go on and on. I believe you should be open to trying methods to find out which one works best for you. If you feel uncomfortable with these ideas, I will encourage you to step through the door of discomfort and see what is on the other side.
- Your issue– Only you control your daily performance. Isn’t it funny how happiness somehow always comes to those who seem to do more work than others? You control the level of activity that you do, and I mean not just with work, but in every aspect of your life. Work, exercise, family, and an overall healthy life can all benefit from focusing on your performance every day.
- The quality of your output Only you control the quality of your output. We live in a world of rush and multitasking, but I am 100% sure that the rewards of our efforts will multiply as we devote more time and attention to what we do. The end result focuses on the quality of your output for a higher return on your time investment.
Take it to a new level
My goal this year is to keep it simple. I believe the recipe for focusing on my mindset, output, and output quality every day is as simple as it gets. The beauty of this simple recipe is that they build on each other. When you have the right mindset and follow your passion, it will be easier to get excited about your output level. More output improves the way you think. If you take the extra time to improve the quality of your output, you will feel great and the quality of your personal and professional relationships will increase. I hope you find your recipe for success for 2021 and reach new levels in your personal and professional development! Please do not hesitate to contact me anytime as we are always looking for new professional partnerships who share a common mindset and vision.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
