As I write this, it is just about 8 weeks until the New Year. And if you’re anything like most people, you can feel the productive work energy starting to, well, stop for the year. Maybe you’ve got a few weeks of focus left, but after Halloween it’s basically Christmas, with the New Year a quick beat behind.
But what if you chose to keep going on the goals you would really love to make progress on THIS year?
It’s not even so much about what you get accomplished (though let’s not negate that), but more importantly: what version of yourself do you get to be as you arrive at the end of this year?
What would make you proud of yourself and show evidence of your growth this year?
What action would be informed by the version of you who keeps going?
Where would you love to say: I didn’t know I could do that!
You don’t have to slow down. (And a note that I am all for INTENTIONAL rest, but I’m not a fan of TAPPING OUT rest, ya know?) When people around you start to stop and for the love of all things holiday it seems more difficult to move things down the field, you can take ownership of quite a few things and keep going.
There is definitely a shift in energy around productivity this time of year, for a myriad of heaped on reasons. People start to get the illness that is going around, have increased family commitments or vacation, various kids in your life might have recitals/shows/holiday music performances. And maybe you need to increase the time you cook/clean/volunteer/or shop the next 2 months.
Even now I can feel myself starting to evaluate goals for this year that I’m like, eh, do I really want to push through the holidays to keep that moving forward? Especially if it appears likely that I am not going to actually accomplish it fully?
Yes. I do. And you probably do, too. Because we’re watching ourselves make choices that remind us who we want to be.
Keep going.
Consider this: What would YOU in February of next year be really glad you did right now? If you kept moving forward, even a little bit, what momentum will you have created as the year starts in January, all fresh and new?
(Keep in mind what you are actually WILLING to do, not just what you WANT to do. There’s a powerful difference.)
Here’s my encouragement and challenge to you:
– Look at the goals you are still thinking about from the beginning of the year or this quarter (even if you’ve made zero progress on them).
– Pick 2-3 goals you have some excitement/energy around. What would you really want to make progress on now and not be starting from cold 8 weeks from now?
– Brainstorm: what 8 tasks would keep the goal moving down the field for the next 8 weeks of the year? Keep in mind who do you want to BE on December 31st?
– This step is key: where is your accountability going to live for this? I.e., TELL SOMEONE what you are committed to keep going on. Knowing you get to tell someone about your progress is a great incentive to keep going towards the version of you who is clear, calm and committed. Change in your life doesn’t often happen in isolation. Right? We can let ourselves off the hook on what we say we are going to do, especially as the days get shorter and holiday merriment can get distracting.
What if you made progress on the thing that you really wanted to this year, even a little bit?
Run to the end of the year.
You don’t have to stop.
There are 62 more days of progress you get to make on something that matters to you-namely, who you are.
Keep going.
