The One Thing that Will Change Your Life
A few years ago I stopped setting New Year’s resolutions. What was the point? Myself and others hardly kept them. Depending on the resolution, we may have lasted until the end of January. Or if we were realllyyyy good, we may have even lasted until March or April. Then typically life would happen, routines would set, and the priority of fitness, healthy eating, or saving money would fall off. I mean those are a couple of the common ones, right?
As 2013 came to a close, I was in a conversation with one of my accountability partners about, why do people get so excited about the New Year? Seriously why? I mean I get it, it’s a New Year, a fresh start, etc etc. But nothing changes when the clock strikes 12 and when Jan 1st hits. It’s actually just another day. The same as the day before.
The only way our year is different is if we’re different. If we change, our year changes. If we take action, we experience a different outcome. One of the biggest things that changed the trajectory of leadership guru, John Maxwell’s life, and even my own, is when someone asked him, do you have a personal growth plan years ago? Like many of us, at that time he didn’t. Most of us get up and follow the same boring routine. We get up, ship the kids off to school, rush to work to a job that’s unfulfilling, come home to cook dinner and do homework. We strive for down time, often opting for an extra few minutes of sleep instead in order to be able to get up and do it all over again the next day.
Now, I really don’t know if that was John’s routine, but I do know that that day he made a decision to get one. He went home, talked over with his wife, and decided to invest in himself. The decision to continuously have a personal growth plan along with the coaching and accountability that came with it changed his life! As it has mine over the last few years.
A personal growth plan is more than a few unfulfilled New Year’s resolutions. It’s more than a couple of one off goals that help you to lose a few pounds or save a little money. It’s a strategic effort that guides your life, helps you to fulfill your calling, and sets your steps in alignment with your destiny.
The same question that has been proposed to John, myself, and others, I’ll ask you? Do you have a personal plan for growth? Not a new year’s resolution, but an actual plan that can set your life on a different plan than it’s currently on. If your answer is yes, then keep going! Keep moving towards the things you know you are meant to do. If your answer is no, determine that this will be the year, the first of many, that you play an active role in the destiny of your life. You deserve it. You were created for more. There is a greater impact that you are meant to live in the life of your family and others. Find a coach, a mentor, or a group that can support you in taking your dream from just a thought to reality.
Here’s to an amazing 2014!
About the Author
Melissa Nixon is a Featured writer with the John Maxwell team Blog.
She has over 15+ years experience as an HR and Organizational Development leader.
She is the founder of RedRoxx, LLC, a leadership and personal development company for women. She’s speaks around the country and coaches women how accelerate to the next level in their career and business.
As a certified John Maxwell leadership coach, speaker, and trainer, she also coaches leaders how to maximize their individual, team, and business performance.
Contact Melissa at : www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/melissanixon