Get After It! Harnessing the Power of Your First Choice
We make choices every day and those choices reveal our priorities. Those priorities become habits and those habits shape our life.
We make choices and form habits based on what is important to us. If you are not happy with where you are right now and want to make changes in 2024, then you need to dig deep and consider what is most important to you. What’s most important wins.
Here’s the deal. It’s not about the feeling, the emotion, the weather, etc. … it’s about the choice. One of my pet peeves is when people ask if I’m a motivational speaker. The answer is no. I truly don’t believe any amount of motivation I provide someone through an emotional appeal, is long lasting. Motivation comes from within. Motivation comes from the insights you have about your life and in your life about what is most important and what you want to accomplish.
Over the past few weeks, we have encouraged you to work a process to reflect, to dream, and now to get after it.
We hope that the process you’ve worked is giving you a sense of what is important and that you have the motivation to align your choices with what you want to accomplish.
At some point we must make the choices to get after it.
Reminding ourselves about what is most important can help us:
Set the reservation to take our significant others on dates.
Manage the evening time to create space for intentionally engaging with our kids.
Continually set money aside to pay down debt or take the trip you’ve talked about but never done.
Reminding ourselves about what is most important can help us:
Set the one-on-one times to coach our team members effectively and be the kind of leader you are proud of.
Manage the process to stay efficient, scalable, and excellent.
Continually develop yourself so you don’t become complacent.
Reminding ourselves about what is most important can help us:
Work the lead process we forget and ignore.
Make the tough choices on a project to move it to completion.
Clarify succession planning instead of leaving team members in limbo.
At some point, we have to make the choice to get after it. Our choices reveal our priorities and our priorities become our habits. If you don’t like where you are – it’s time to make new choices and form new habits.
Here are a few questions for you?
What are your top 2 big personal goals for 2024?
1) Goal
My first choice to move towards that goal is …
I’m going to execute that choice by _____
2) Goal
My first choice to move towards that goal is …
I’m going to execute that choice by _____
What are your top 2 big professional goals for 2024?
1) Goal
My first choice to move towards that goal is …
I’m going to execute that choice by _____
2) Goal
My first choice to move towards that goal is …
I’m going to execute that choice by _____
Don’t get so overwhelmed by the end destination that you forget about the first choice to get there.
For the past 2 years, it’s been painful on my knees every time I run … so I stopped running. Well, running is quite beneficial to be healthy, and it’s much easier to do while traveling. During November, my brother-in-law convinced me to start up again on the trail. After a week and a half, I realized he put me on a training plan for a half-marathon he was signed up for. If he would have said – let’s start training for a half, I would have said not a chance. He just said, let’s go run for 30 minutes on the trail. 15 out and 15 in. This was my “first choice”. I feel so much better after starting. It's about the start. Don’t focus so much on the destination that you don’t start. Don’t be afraid to start and see what happens.
Make the reservation to your spouse’s favorite restaurant.
Tonight play your kid’s favorite game.
Send a message or call the prospect you’ve been nervous to pitch to.
Move money over to savings.
Make the necessary call and move the project closer to completion.
Sign up for the Courageous Manager Cohort to develop yourself to an effective manager.
Sign up for Distilled to focus on Rest and align your leadership with purpose.
Do your first choice now, and then do it again and again and again.
Rest. Dream. Get After It.
While we Get After It – take the time to surround yourself with people who give you life and energy along the journey. Healthy community is key to healthy habits that propel you towards your goals and dreams.
Let’s love life at work and most importantly love life at home. We are at our best when we are our best at work and home.
Cheers to 2024!
