Three Ways to Make It Easier to Succeed in 2017

Are you going to succeed in reaching all of your goals this year?

Most of you are reviewing your 2016 goals, and wondering how you can make a mad dash to the finish line. And you are probably asking yourself two questions:

1. Can you do it and keep your sanity, and

2. How can you make 2017 easier?

I know this, because many of you are e-mailing and calling me.

Whether you will reach your goals this year or not, it still feels like a big push to December 31st. And you are tired of feeling pressured to do more at the busiest time of year.

Are you ready to make things easier in 2017? It’s not too early to begin shifting your planning and thinking – if you want to feel more ease and spaciousness the next time around.

Here are three ways many fine executives and other professionals unwittingly make it harder for themselves to achieve their goals – and how you can do differently.

1. You recycle this year’s plan by simply putting next year’s date on it.

The obvious question here, is, did the plan work well for you? If it didn’t, why not? What needs to change or shift? Are you blaming external causes? Using poor strategies? Or are you unable to stay on track due to other factors? If you haven’t met all of your goals, don’t make the mistake of just changing the date on the document to 2017 and try, again. Instead, reset goals according to where you are now, what you have learned, and best strategies that work for you. Then ask yourself what got in the way this year, and decide how you will handle this. Because things won’t change if you don’t change them.

2. You haven’t cut the energy-wasters and other riff-raff out of your life.

You know what I mean – all the stuff that is getting in your way. Some of what you are consumed with is outside your control, and you are still allowing it to take headspace. This will keep you from your best performance. Other things you may have allowed to get in the way of meeting your goals are commitments you have made to projects or relationships that aren’t really positive or fruitful. Do a quick analysis of what has been getting in your way – and make some hard decisions.

3. You aren’t investing in yourself.

This is something I see in more women than men. Why? Women are prone to investing in ourselves last – putting the company, causes, and our families before taking care of the instrument that generates income. Yet, best-kept secret – in various studies, up to 80% of successful male executives have an executive coach to help them get to that next level. Here are two main reasons you haven’t invested in yourself:

1. You secretly don’t think you are worth the investment. I have a “Judge Judy” response to this: either stop wasting your time setting goals that are impossible for you with this present mindset – or get some help to bring your self-worth up to a healthy state so that you can get what you want and enjoy it. Don’t let failure and “wish I had” become main threads of your story.
2. You feel you can succeed by yourself, and do it very well. You don’t invest in yourself because you don’t think you need any help. I have one question: how has this approach been working for you? Are you where you want to be? Or is it costing you too much to get there, in emotional energy, relationships, family? What would it be like to succeed and enjoy the ride?

Successful executives and other professionals invest in themselves because they want to step up into that next level of success, and do it with ease and joy. They are ready to make the journey worth the effort.

Are you excited about 2017? What will you do differently to enjoy the ride and succeed? Join us on LinkedIn to share, and for more discussion.

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Patti Cotton helps women executives optimize their effectiveness in leading self, others, and enterprises. Her areas of focus include confidence, leadership style, executive presence, effective communication, and masterful execution. With over 25 years of leadership experience, both stateside and abroad, Patti works with individuals, teams, and organizations across industries, providing executive coaching, women’s leadership development, change, and conflict management. She is also a Fortune 500 speaker. For more information on how Patti Cotton can help you and your organization, click here.