The new year brings that time again where we look within. A chance to reflect on the passing year and a time to project for the upcoming year. We all have resolutions such as lose weight, read more books, spend more time with family, make more sales, spend more time focused on my career, the list could go on, but I think the point has been captured. My resolutions this year will be different. Why, you ask? Well, because this year my resolutions are published here in the journal and instead of their normal pattern of hanging on my fridge until May then migrating to the trash bin. My new year resolution is to erase three mental speed bumps from my future.
The first thing being eliminated is the word "MY." I use it way too much in my daily life and it continues to put me in bad starting positions. For example, "my time can't be wasted" as if anyone's can be. "My idea is to do it this way." "I like my way better." Each of those examples are just some of the negative wordplay I use without subjectively thinking about it. This relays an underlying message of non-inclusiveness and separating myself from the objective and/or group.
The second elimination is the "what ifs." I spend too much time thinking about all the consequences of an action rather than taking action. This is backwards thinking and continues to slow down my progress in the business world. I am not saying that I shouldn't be prepared by acknowledging the possible outcomes, but the action still has to be taken in order for any outcome. That pushes my main focus in 2015 to taking action.
Last is "timing." I always want to do things when the time is right. When people talk about success they always mention it being good timing and with failure comes bad timing. This is my biggest speed bump as it continues to stop me from taking action by worrying about timing in both my business and personal life. The more I think about it, here and now, it's ridiculous. Timing is not a foresight intuition but a hindsight affirmation in that without some action taken, timing can not be determined good or bad. So I guess this was good timing in knowing without taking that next step I am guaranteed to have bad timing.
Eric Wilson is director of social media at NEREJ, Norwell, Mass.