Getting off the ground

In my Goal Setting Post, I started by giving the first tip on how to start your new year on a high. One of my personal beliefs is that you should always start a year how you plan to continue and end it. Many people start their new year making resolutions that get abandoned by the third month in the year. Many plan to lose weight, start a new Business, change jobs or even dump their boyfriends but these resolutions fade away once they slip back into their comfort zone. I must admit I’m still struggling with one of my resolutions which is to start my fitness regime again so let’s see how that goes for me in 2013.

Moving on, here are some more tips on how to start your 2013 on a high:

• Evaluate your relationships: Look around you, you are either surrounded by dream-mates or dream-killers. Have you noticed that there are some people who are never happy when you tell them about a goal that you aim to achieve. These are the people that will sit back, waiting for you to give up on your dreams. You need to ditch such people. Dream-mates are those people who do not necessarily have to understand your goal or vision but they are willing to back you up and cheer you on along the way. These types of relationships are crucial to the success of your goals. Write down a list of the ten closest people to you and look at the contributions that they are making to your life. You cannot move forward while carrying heavy baggage with you.

• Get a mentor: One of the best advice that I can give you as you enter a new year is to get a mentor. In my journey as an entrepreneur, I can truly say that I wouldn’t be anywhere close to where I am today if I did not have great mentors in my life. A mentor is someone who has already gone before you and can pour his or her experience into you as you walk your entrepreneurial journey. I would advise that you get a mentor in your own field but I can tell you that I do not have a mentor in my own Business industry, yet my mentor has been priceless to my journey. Mentors are able to encourage you, advise you or push you through your journey. In one year, you will come across moments when you feel like giving up on your dream or idea and this is why it is important to have calm heads around you that can share experiences with you to keep you from giving up

• Personal Development is key: I cannot stress this point enough! It is amazing how people want a promotion, stay ahead of their Business competitors or even start a new venture but are unwilling to invest in the development of their skills or expertise. As you enter a new year, you must invest in your personal development. Sharpen up your skills; it may be presentation skills communication skill or your specific industry expertise. Attend seminars, increase your knowledge or even better, get a coach to give you a personal tailored help. In 2012 at Proten UK, we realised a surge in the amount of women that signed up to our 1-2 -1 coaching services. We realised that women were much more willing to invest in their personal development and it wasn’t a surprise that these women went on to start their Business ventures. If you want to add value to your customers, the first thing that you need to do is to add value to yourself.

These are just some of the keys to starting your year on a high. I may choose to give you more tips in future posts but I would like to know some of the keys that you have learnt in 2012 that can be used to start 2013 on a high.

Opy Ona

“The ideas Midwife”