It's here... what have you already done?
2008 flew by in a flash... and 2009 is here waiting for those who can handle what she brings.
Not only will this coming year prove to be an exciting one, it will also bring out the best and worst in people's personal financial situations.
Sadly, quite a few people will not be prepared.... they will lose their jobs with no savings to tide them over... they will lose most of their savings, and sell off what remains in a state of panic... or they will go through the coming year in a zombie like trance, just waiting for it all to come to an end.
Then there are those who go into this year with a plan.
They have thought through what they will do differently this year, month and week. They think through the long term consequences of the businesses they start, the projects they get involved in, the investments they put money into, and the priorities they make in their life.
Early January 2010, one year from today, some people will reflect back with awe over what happened in 12 short months.
They tripled their income. They bought rental properties for pennies on the dollar. They started that new business, or expanded their existing one.
They are living the life they once thought was just a vision in the back of their mind.
On the flip-side... January 2010 will also see some people overwhelmed with fear, sadness and depression. Maybe they lost their job and couldn't see the foresight to find a new job in a new industry. Or they panicked and sold off their remaining investments, only to see those investments return back to their former levels. Or they just went about their day-to-day activities as they always have, and, surprise surprise, things look pretty well exactly the same for them this January as they did last January.
The choice IS yours... you know that.
But, if you have not at least started thinking through (on
paper) what you are doing differently this year... how can you expect any different results?
If you have not set some goals for the coming 12 months, how can you expect to achieve them?
How will you know what it is you're aiming for?
By now, you should have put together your best of/worst of lists for 2008. This is a great way to reflect back on the year... to give yourself a pat on the back for everything you did that worked out for you on the plus side.
It?s also the chance to reflect back on the things you did in
2008 that didn't work out all that well for you.
The defeats.
The failures.
The constant frustrations you met with.
When you look at the good AND the bad... you will see trends.
And those trends you see can revolutionize 2009 for you.
The failures... have they happened before? Constantly?
What are you going to do differently about it this year so they DON'T happen again?
Gift #1 (guaranteed to work)
Here is what I would suggest you do right now...
...set aside 60 minutes.
Turn off the tv.
Forego a lunch break.
Get up an hour earlier.
Or stay up an hour later.
Lock yourself away somewhere without phones, tvs, or email.
And get busy writing!
List out everything good that happened to you in 2008.
List out everything not-so-good that happened to you in 2008.
And look for the trends.
Things that keep repeating themselves... things that have positive and negative results for you.
Then come up with a plan on how you will do 10 times more of the positive things in the coming year.
And how you will eliminate the negative things you do that cause bad things to happen in your life.
The best way to write your plan?
This is something I have done for many years now, and I love how it feels once you are done.
After reviewing your good and bad. And after thinking through what you will be doing differently in the next year.
Write a letter to yourself (or your spouse, your kids, or whoever is most important to you in your life right now)... but the letter is dated January 1, 2010... a year from now.
And talk about all the incredible things that happened over the past year.
Gush about your accomplishments, your successes, your biggest ah-hah moments.
Talk about what a wild ride 2009 was... and how much fun it was to accomplish all those dreams in one year.
See yourself in that state, a year from now, and really feel how exciting it will be for you to be there celebrating your best year ever.
Lock that feeling in.
Get that letter typed up ... or leave it in long hand.
Important: Read it every morning for the next year (it takes you
1 minute... you CAN find the time). When you read it... see yourself
there enjoying the moment. Feel what it will feel like to celebrate the
big wins you wrote about.
You do that, right now, before you forget and "put it off for later", and I guarantee you that 2009 will break all of your previous record years.
You do that, and review it every single morning, and some amazing things WILL happen for you.
It helps you think big.
It helps you plan the year.
And it helps reprogram your mind for success, with a daily boost to keep out all the negative stuff the media is throwing at you.
Despite what the media is saying, right now is an incredible opportunity for success minded individuals like you and I. More wealth is made in the down times than the good... and that time is right here and now.
The choice is yours... will you do something differently right here and now that guarantees January 2010 will be a massive celebration at your house? Or will you keep hoping and praying something will change... "one of these days"?
Make the right choice... I am here to support you in your quest.
To a fabulous year ahead!
Read below for Gift #2
Troy
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Thanks for the post, Troy. I think you are right on the money about how 2009 goes being related to how you think about and approach it. I also agree with the idea of taking a year end inventory to see what went well and what sucked. I actually wrote a 3 part series about that on my blog. Finally, I like the one year letter as a motivator. Last year I wrote a 10 year story for myself that has helped my clarify my goals and keep me on track.
Posted by: Joe Lofshult | January 05, 2009 at 09:57 PM