What’s your vision for 2012?
Will it be just another flavor of 2011? Is that a ‘good’ thing?
If your 2012 vision includes new growth opportunities for you to come into the fullness of your strengths then here are a few things to remember.
1) Only you can or should chart your course. The only real expert on you is…well….YOU. Decide where you want to land in 2012. That decision is yours and yours alone.
2) Build an inner circle who will help mentor you into your new course. Experience is the best teacher and using someone else’s experience a great way to ‘fast track’ your trip. Surround yourself with an inner circle of people who are where you want to be and leverage their collection experience to get you there faster, benefiting from their failures and successes along the way.
3) Build your roadmap to get there. While its nice to think we’ll wake up one morning and find ourselves in the middle of a new success, the reality is you need a map to get there. Will it require new skills or contacts? One thing it will absolutely require is a new way of thinking. The one component that you must have for a higher level of achievement is a higher level of thinking. In his book Thinking For A Change, author and my mentor John C. Maxwell writes that changed thinking is not automatic, it requires a plan, a strategy if you will to help move you into a new level of awareness.
That is what leaders do, they acquire new levels of thinking and then with that new found awareness, they make more informed decisions that in fact move them and their team into higher levels of performance.
So as you’re planning your 2012 strategy be sure to include a plan for developing your capacity to think like the great leaders.
I am actively pursuing #1 and #3 on your list. Do you have any recommendations on how to go about building on your inner circle of support? I have a few people in mind, just wondering about how to approach them. What are your thoughts?
Alana, congrats on moving into #1 and #3 and I love the question on building inner circle support. Here’s my 2 cents:
> Find folks with complimentary competencies to yours. For example if you are highly cautious, find someone who is a big action taker. If you are outgoing and relational, find someone who is reserved and analytical who can help you think things through.
> Have in your inner circle folks that will challenge you to stretch and grow.
Approaching them. Just reach out, email, phone, smoke signal. Let them know that you are building an inner circle and specifically why you feel they would be an important component to your growth.
You’ll find that most people are very receptive and honored to help.
Great way to jump start 2012!
Great advice! Especially the part about finding people who are complementary to how I am wired. I am the outgoing, risk taker. My husband has the gift of making calculated moves. We FIT. 🙂
However, I would like to find some additional people that I can journey with so that I do not drain my poor husband with all my on-the-go energy and countless ideas.
I liked your answer about the smoke signal as well. It made me smile.
Alana to find additional people, look at people you learn from today. Whether in person, through books they’ve written, information they’ve shared, etc…
Don’t be intimidated to ask, there are such wonderful folks out there who are willing to share.
One other area is community. Going to places like Free Agent Academy where there is a community of like minded folks growing, launching and encouraging.
Go for it girl!