We are a few weeks into the year and it's probably a good time to check in and ask yourself how you are going with your new decisions and resolutions.

A Fresh Start is only a fresh start if we do things differently.  Writing down goals is only the start.  It’s a crucial part for sure, but it’s only the beginning.  When you are a leader, people will often come to you with their goals, super excited and determined to do things differently… and then two weeks later they won’t even answer the phone!  Know anyone like this?  What happened?  Why is it that some people follow through their decisions and others flake out at the first opportunity?

In order to understand this, lets look at some of the myths associated with making a fresh start:

1.  WANTING something is not the same as EXPECTING IT.
When it comes to writing goals, it doesn’t matter what you write, what matters is what you believe about what you write.  Everybody wants a better life; it’s logical that we all want to be healthier, have better relationships, be more successful… it’s logical that we would all want to improve.  

There is a difference however, between ‘wishing’ and ‘anticipating’.  It’s alright for your goals to scare you a little, it’s even ok to not know ‘how’ exactly they will be achieved.  However deep inside your core, you MUST know that your life (one way or another) is about to change.  It has to change.  

I’ve heard it said by high achievers, that there are three levels of commitment when pursuing any endeavour:
- I will give it a try.
- I will do my best.
- I will do whatever it takes.

Where do you sit?

2.  CHANGE is not automatic.  It is a process.
Don’t expect things to change, if you’re not prepared to change.  Since our thinking feeds our actions, where we are at today is the compound result of the way we have been thinking for years.  Whatever we have manifested, good or bad, has been birthed firstly by the habits of our mind.  If we want to produce a different life in a year’s time- it won’t be because you were very motivated on the 1st of January!  It will be the result of what you thought and focused on on the 2nd, the 3rd of January… and on every single day that followed.

As the excitement and emotion of a ‘fresh start’ wears off, decide to be hyper vigilant of your own thinking.  Do not buy your own excuses, work diligently to break the habits that have kept you broke.  Invest time daily into your own personal development and focus on growing into a better version of yourself- knowing that the ONLY way to really change your life, is to change the habits of your mind. 

3. My circumstances are different.   

As we embark upon our goals, it is natural to face some obstacles.  You may have started with wonderful intentions, but then ‘life’ happened.  The kids got sick, your day job got busier, your best prospect turned you down, your family thinks you’re crazy… whatever it be, you feel like your circumstances are more difficult than anyone else’s.  Others are achieving - you assume that things must be easier for them.

But they really aren’t.

On the road to success, we ALL have our own challenges to face.  Talk to any leader- nobody gets a free ride.  Adversity seems to be a prerequisite to triumph.  Don’t look sideways and compare.  We really don’t know what our neighbour has had to overcome.  Keep your eye on the road ahead, and if you MUST compare, think about people whose circumstances were a lot worse than yours and they still succeeded.  Seek inspiration not justification.

Finally, even if you feel that you haven’t started the year well, remember that a fresh start can be made at any time.  It doesn’t need to be the beginning of the year, it just needs to be the beginning of a new you.