It’s that time of year. We’ll here it daily for the next week or so… Have a Great New Year!
I appreciate the sentiment and do not doubt the sincerity of those who offer it. I also assume that most everyone would like their new year to be better than their old year, no matter how good 2013 was for them.
How about you? Would you like to be better in 2014? More productive? Happier, wealthier, and wiser.
Are you hoping for that, wishing for that, or planning for that? There is a huge difference between the three. The first two can provide a bit of enthusiasm for a while but only the third one, planning can make a long-term difference in 2014.
Your plan must include doing something different in 2014 than you did in 2013, at least if your 2014 is going to be better. You simply can not be different without doing something different. Most people believe that doing something different means doing something in 2014 that you’re not doing in 2013. That could be right but for many, many people success and improvement in 2014 will be determined by what they stop doing.
Successful plans are not just a list of things you need to do in order to succeed. The very best plans also include a list of things you need to stop doing. You may just find it easier to let go of a bad attitude than to have a positive one. Once you decide to let go of negativity the positive attitude you need for success may just find you.
You probably didn’t have a lot of extra time in 2013 so if you’re going to start doing more in 2014 you best be prepared to leave some of what you were doing in 2013. Many people fail to do “the new” because they are burning their time doing “the old” stuff, often unproductive stuff, from last year.
If you really want a better 2014 then don’t commit to do even one new thing without also committing to stop doing one old thing. You’re likely just kidding yourself if you think success will come from just piling more on to your already overburdened schedule.
It is by the way, entirely possible to have a better 2014 just by stopping something old. There is no requirement to do more to have more. If you quit just one unproductive, unhealthy, or unwise thing in 2014 you could have a better year ahead of you.
Stop, maybe just stop, quit, or give up to succeed in 2014. That’s certainly easier than just committing to more that you can’t do anyway.
Reblogged this on interBlog.
I agree – but don’t just quit the bad habit, quit your job if your boss is a psyko. Many people really should quit! A lot of people are burdoning themselves with impossible tasks from their current job – believing that they have to to them, or that their boss will like/require/expect it. And many bosses really are psycopats who will require much too much from their employees. So quit – a cannot agree more!
And while you’re at it: start doing something for others. Anything will do, as long as it is good for someone or more else than yourself. Stop buying things, stop wasting resources on games, drugs, drinks or whatever you are currently wasting them on. Use them instead on people.
2014 and beyond will be a dream to you – and to many other people – if you stop treating yourself as a victim and start treating others as friends who need help.
Excellent comment and addition to this post. I agree wholeheartedly.
Great article. Quit something old to start something new.
2014, here we come.
Thanks for your comment, quitting unproductive activities is one of the most productive things we can do.
Great advice!
How would you suggest a person identify the unproductive activities? Old habits tend to die hard.
The best way to identify unproductive activities is to use a time log. Chart your activities for a week and the “return” you get from doing them.
You’ll likely be surprised and disappointed by what you discover. Some things will be causing you to focus on the urgent at the expense of the important.
Then you’ll know the important things to continue doing and what you can let go.