Last year presented many teachable moments. Through wins and losses, 2018, taught me about success in marriage, fatherhood, entrepreneurialism, employment, and health. From these lessons learned, I want to share with you five specific goals that you can implement in 2019. This piece is worth the next three-five minutes.
Similar to others, the start of the new year brings an itch to start something different. You may begin to scratch your head in thinking about how to improve as a romantic partner, parent, businessperson, employee, and as a more health conscious individual. Change in each of these areas is difficult, but it is possible.
In 2018, I experienced triumphs and challenges. I moved with my family from Mexico to Antigua. My wife and I celebrated nine years of marriage. After two years as a full-time entrepreneur, my business failed to generate sustainable income. I revamped my fitness routine. The lifestyle I enjoyed in previous years changed in 2018 to place me on a path aligned with purpose.
The following are five specific goals, derived from my 2018 experiences, to help you grow in 2019 and make progress aligned with your leadership potential.
1. Successful marriages involve partners willing to listen to each other.
In 2018, I learned to listen more to my wife. On multiple occasions, I was reminded to stop trying to fix every problem that she discusses with me, take a break from work, listen and respond when necessary. Make it a goal in 2019 to invest fifteen minutes or more every day in having more mindful conversations with your wife or significant other away from electronics and work responsibilities.
2. Successful fathers give their children more time than money.
In 2018, my family and I experienced significant financial challenges. We foreclosed on a home and moved to a location where our living expenses increased three-fold. Through my financial constraints, I did not consistently pay every bill, but I remained consistent in spending as much time with my children as possible. When they say to me, “you are the best dad in the world,” I know that I am fulfilling a part of my life’s purpose as their father. In 2019, focus on increasing the time with your kids on a minimum of three days every week.
3. Successful businesses dedicate time to learn.
My business failed to produce a sustainable income while living in Mexico. It failed because I was unable to see beyond the model I put in place to guide my daily operations. If you want to improve as an entrepreneur in 2019, create a schedule that includes thirty minutes every day to learn about your industry.
4. Successful employees advocate.
When I began my new job, policies existed that did not adequately support families. Instead of complaining to other employees about my challenging transition, I went to the HR rep and advocated for changes on my behalf and future employees. With patience, this administrator listened to my concerns and made some adjustments to assist my family and me. If you want to improve conditions on your job in 2019, do not complain to other employees. Identify one person in leadership within the first three weeks of any problem and arrange a meeting.
5. Successful leaders make their health a priority.
Whether we are talking about, leadership at home or in your professional work setting, you must make time to exercise and eat healthy foods. In 2018, I reorganized my workout schedule and began intermittent fasting on the weekends. The fasts helped to produce more clarity in the spiritual, mental, and physical areas of my life. Make 2019 your best year to date, by committing to your health goals with a, “no matter what,” attitude. Try Capoeira or some other form of physical activity and do it for thirty minutes on three days out of every week. Prepare your lunch for the week, and stop using vending machines.
Your 2019 will not be perfect. Life will present challenges to any resolution. The goal is not perfection, but it does include progress aligned with purpose.
If you need help defining your purpose for 2019 and beyond, download my free ebook/guide by subscribing to this blog. If you know your goals and need some help, buy my self-paced online course or hire me as your coach.