Reflection with Jay Chapman
Reflecting on the year that’s past for growth on the year ahead.
Is it time to fire your 'Itty bitty shitty committee' ?
As we navigate through our journey of 2023, it’s never been more important to reflect on the highs, lows and in-betweens of the past few months.
As you’re contemplating the learnings from 2023, take a moment to think about what happened in your life, career, relationships and what has come from it. Here’s an action plan to help you achieve this.
There is plenty of truth in the saying that failing to plan is planning to fail, so while you may be feeling pretty exhausted after a big year so far, take a deep breath and think about what you can you draw on from both the successes, failures and challenges of the year and what changes you can implement in response.
Take time to carefully analyse the successes, and review the changes based on them. If you’re an “out with the old, in with the new!” fan, I’d like to offer a cautionary word: don’t be too ruthless with wiping the slate clean.
There’s merit in change of course! But make sure you are not just throwing the baby out with the bath water as they say.
Be sure to pay homage to the past year by acknowledging and celebrating the wins, learn from your losses, reflect on every last thing you have accomplished and know that resilience is a very underrated trait to have!
Try this on for size: dig deep, empty the ‘handbag’ on to the table and work through exactly what it is you’re going to put back in.
Here are 9 questions for you to consider to help you achieve this, so get busy and bring the last 365 days to mind.
What was the single best thing that happened to you in 2023?
Pick three words to describe this past year (be sensible).
What was the best book you read this year?
Who were the top 3 people who inspired you this year and why?
What was your biggest distraction in 2023? (be honest).
What was the one action that allowed you to make the most postive impact in 2023?
Now, what one sentence do you want stand by for 2024?
Did you notice a pattern – was there a common denominator in both the highs and lows? Take a breath – was that common denominator you? INTERESTING!
Moving forward will only happen once you come to understand what it is that holds you back. I firmly believe that the key to living your best life is 80% mindset, 20% your plan. With out a good mix of both, you are p****g in the wind. Right now is the time to get your head in the game and take 2024 by storm. Let’s make a start NOW!
First up, we need to appreciate the concept of limiting beliefs and blocks, those little voices in our heads, the internal backchat that never ceases to ‘advise’ us on what we can and can’t do, say or be. I’m not talking about your conscience being your guide, I’m referring to those negative Nancy’s – the itty-bitty-shitty committee, which meets far too regularly and has too much self imposed power. Want some good news? You can fire them. Just. Like. That. BOOM!
The trick is to recognise that you have these limiting beliefs which hold you back from moving forward, and then deal to them. For example, are you where you want to be from a financial perspective; is your business/career positioned where you really want it to be; are your relationships healthy? If you answer no, no and no, then you still have some firing to do and once you have, you will move forward.
So I want you to have a think about a goal that you have, something that you want to change in your life. Now that you have that goal in mind, what is your internal thought process telling you? Do you instantly think of all the reasons why you can’t achieve this goal?
Yes, this post covid world and the shit economy has thrown us a curve ball, but we need to start to think about what DO we have control of, not what we can't control.
The most important question is, are you happy to have another 2023 all over again? Sounds like a silly question I know! I am more taking about you taking too much notice of the opinions and beliefs others held about you and life decisions. These limitations that hold you back are not your own. Not your circus, not your monkeys!
For me, the biggest step forward was the people I chose to be around in 2023. They are people that have achieved what I want, that inspire me to be a better person and are positive influences in my life both personally and professionally
Choose success, choose your company, choose health and wellness, choose happiness, choose abundance, choose change and choose to step your mindset up and out of your comfort zone in 2024 and beyond.
You have got this!
Jay Chapman is a business mentor for small business owners across Australian and New Zealand. You can follow him on instagram @jaychapman_zing