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Hey it’s Andrew here from safetyontap.com

 

This episode is part of my 2017 end of year challenge – I’m committing to give you two weeks solid of advice, reflections and actions for you to maximise what you learn from 2017, and  unleash your greater potential on 2018.  I’m sharing one episode every single day for the two weeks leading up to Christmas, so check out the other episodes numbers 55 through 65.  There is no particular order, each one of these will be great on it’s own, but listening to more will give you much greater value.  If you are listening to this at any other time of the year, have no fear! – the best time for you to take action on this is always right now!

 

In today’s episode I’ll teach you how to succeed in 2018 without goals or new years resolutions.

 

The thing about goal setting and new years resolutions, is that most people don’t achieve most of those goals or resolutions, or they only do for a very short period of time.  They might even be SMART – specific, measurable, agreed, realistic and time-based.  But I think lot’s of people don’t engage with change because they aren’t engaged – there is no colour, personality, life in those goals or resolutions! Sure some people do well with these things, which they should stick to if that works.  I made this video for those of you like me, who don’t do well with new years goals or resolutions. You might think that’s strange for a guy who coaches people for a living, since goals are a big part of coaching.  That’s very true.  Goals are very useful for specific aspects of our development, they don’t work very well for the time span, and the uncertainty of an entire year.

 

At the beginning of 2017 I shared my personal alternative to goals or New Years resolutions – I picked a word to guide me throughout the year.  I spent lots of time thinking about this word, (or it can be a phrase).  It needs to be short, it needs to come from a place of deep contemplation, and it needs to have your personality in it.

 

My word for 2017 was UNLEASH.  Here’s the link to that video.  Wow I looked almost a whole year younger in that one!

 

The single word or phrase is more like a motto, or principle to guide you, rather than a black and white goal you strive for and have it taunt you.  So forget measurable, and even forget specific – what you say yes or no to, the people you hang out with, the effort you put in, the things you leave be and the things you fight for – are all guided by your chosen word.

 

So did I unleash?  Absolutely, in so many ways.  I unleashed my passion and skills for interview and learning through 27 original, free, growth fuelling podcast episodes.  I unleashed the biggest idea I’ve ever brought to life, and arguably one of my biggest risks, in successfully launching Safety on Tap Connected, the worlds first professional growth accelerator for people just like you.  I’ve unleashed myself as a coach and mentor through that platform and community, which continues to grow but more importantly helps members to demonstrably grow themselves.  I’ve unleashed outside my usual networks by growing our audience dramatically both in Australia but moreso in countries like NZ, Canada and the US.  I’ve unleashed my ideas and knowledge and energy speaking live for numerous and quite diverse audiences both here in Australia and overseas.  And I’ve initiated two industry wide health and safety initiatives, the hard work of preparing fertile ground for the seeds of change to grow.

 

And there are plenty of things I haven’t unleashed on, maybe doing quite the opposite.  These are more private struggles.  I’m not ready to share those things publically yet, but I want you to know that it is in that failure that learning and growth happens, as much as through your successes.

 

I had a conversation with a passionate and really uplifting young safety professional the other day, who asked me what next year’s word will be.  I said I didn’t know.  I haven’t finished ruminating on this year yet.  And importantly, I’m not even sure whether I’ll have a new word, or whether I have more left to unleash, in which case my word still guides me well.  Either way, I’ll have a word or phrase which will be my guide, and keep me focussed.  Now don’t get hung up on my word, it’s my word, ok! Yours will be just a personal to you as mine is to me.  Friend of the podcast and previous guest Tim Allred chose Rogue Scholar, which is just so right for him – here’s the link to the article he wrote about it.

 

Ok now it’s time for reflection and action.  How have you found new years goals or resolutions in the past – have the worked for you? What do you think contributed to these working out for you, or not working out? Thinking in retrospect, what word or phrase would you choose to describe 2017, the year that is almost finished? What word or phrase might you choose for 2018? Reflection always works better when it’s written down, in old fashioned pen or pencil, so write down your reflections on these questions.

 

And maybe, like me, you’ll find a word or phrase which help you take more positive, effective and rewarding action to grow yourself, and drastically improve health and safety in 2018.    Seeya!