Best Year Yet

by Karen Morey, Best Year Yet Director of Training

This was a favorite saying of my dad’s – one we heard many, many times.  And yes, he definitely was a planner and an articulate intellectual.  But in this case, he was actually quoting Hannibal Smith (the George Peppard character) in the television series “The A Team,” which was his unlikely choice for favorite TV show of the 80’s.

I see a quirky irony in the fact that thirty years later I, as his eldest daughter, have made a career out of helping plans come together!  I too love it when a plan comes together, but I love it even more when a plan WORKS together.  Here’s what I mean by that:

A Best Year Yet plan is made up of four components:  Guidelines, New Paradigm, Major Focus, and Top Ten Goals.  When I help clients create their own plans, I encourage them to see how these components work together, integrating behavior, mindset, focus, and action to effect real change in their lives.  It isn’t always easy to draw those connecting lines, but when it happens, the impact is exponential.

I experienced this phenomenon in my own plan last year, and it motivated me all year long.  The connections began early in the process when I chose as a guideline “Read, Write, and Think,” based on a lesson I had learned in the previous year about the importance of setting aside time to contemplate deeper truths.  I am an avid reader of fiction, but I wanted to include more philosophical and meditative books on my reading list.  In addition, I wanted to use journaling as a way to record my own thoughts as I read.

When it came time to examine my biggest limiting paradigm and choose a new mindset for the year, I decided my biggest roadblock on the way to exploring the next phase in my life was my belief that

“Everyone depends on me to keep doing what I’m doing,
and I can’t let them down.”

This conviction, coupled with the idea that I’m nearing retirement age and “should” be slowing down, was definitely holding me back.  So I created my new paradigm:

“I’m in my prime and moving on”

as a way to shake off those limiting beliefs.

But then came the question, “Moving on to what?”  What did “moving on” mean?  Since I had no answer to that question yet, it was clear that what I needed was to move on with the exploration – to figure out what I want the next phase in my life to look like.   And to do that, I needed to give myself time for that exploration – for thinking about it, reading books that help me dig deeper, and journaling about the process.

This is where my Number 1 Goal comes in:

 #1.    Schedule ‘Prime Time’ weekly for reading, writing, and thinking.

Of course, there were nine other goals in my plan, related to growing my business, working with clients, volunteering for projects, planning a reunion, and managing my health; but the one that really captured my attention was this idea of Prime Time.  I was determined to follow through on this!

At the beginning of every month, I blocked out a half-day each week on my calendar, usually on Friday afternoon, and labeled it ‘Prime Time.’  I created a space in my home office with a big, comfortable chair and ottoman, a fleece blanket, a small table, and a lamp.  I selected from my bookshelf a few books that I had always intended to read and stacked them on the table, along with a journal, a pen and pencil, and some Post-Its.  Each week, when Prime Time arrived, I made a pot of tea, stepped away from the computer, and sat down in this new space to slow down and turn my attention to bigger things than responding to email.

Okay, okay, truth be told, it didn’t really happen every week.  Out of the 52 weeks in the year, I cheated myself out of Prime Time at least one third of the time; I scheduled a meeting with a client right over that spot; I decided to run an errand or two before starting – and used up all the allotted time; when I was the only one on a team who didn’t want to meet on a Friday afternoon, I gave in.  But over the course of the year, my commitment to Prime Time never lagged.  I always put it on the calendar and week after week, I renewed my determination to be accountable – to myself!

I was conscious all year of the synchronicity I felt between

          My Guideline:  Read, Write, and Think.

          My New Paradigm:  I’m in my prime and moving on.

          My Goal #1:  Schedule Prime Time weekly for reading, writing, and thinking.

And now I have moved on to my new plan for 2012; I have new guidelines, a NEW new paradigm, and new goals.  I did not keep the old ones, much as I liked the idea.  I forced myself to think of new ones, based on my most recent experiences, including the fact that I read several thought-provoking and inspiring books, wrote several articles and journal entries, and established Prime Time as an ongoing commitment in my calendar – a commitment I will continue to honor, at least two-thirds of the time!

And best of all, I DID gain a clearer understanding of what I want that “next phase of my life” to look like, and the top ten goals in my new plan are all about taking the first steps to make it happen.

I LOVE it when a plan works together!

Want to begin 2012 with your own Best Year Yet plan?  Click here to get started!

By Audrey Taylor, Success and Life Coach

Do you remember the valuable life lessons you learned during your formative years?

Some of the most meaningful lessons many of us have learned came during our early childhood experiences “Kindergarten”.  In an excerpt from the book, All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten, American minister and author Robert Fulghum shares a list of lessons normally learned in American kindergarten classrooms such as:

• Share everything.
• Play fair.
• Don’t hit people.
• Put things back where you found them.
• Clean up your own mess.

These lessons have served us well. They are helpful guidelines to live by as we grow, interact with others and follow our dreams. They support us to feel safe, sane and secure in the world. Just by following such simple advice will lead to more good outcomes and fewer of the bad ones.

Now as a grown up “life” is our classroom. It presents opportunity after opportunity to grow, follow our dreams and live the life we imagine.

In September, I started my second year using the proven goal setting system Best Year Yet Online (BYYO). The 10 powerful questions in this system are transforming and allow me to be responsible for the direction of my life. As Jinny Ditzler, author of the book, Your Best Year Yet shares, “Every single one of us has the energy, heart, soul and talent…everything we need to be the person we want to be”.  This being said, the self-directed BYYO questions effectively draw out lessons to live life on purpose.

The first three BYYO questions when asked with childlike curiosity reveal valuable lessons for personal transformation. This life changing exercise is instrumental to for creating future success.

These questions reveal the answers we seek from the “inside out”.  They encourage us to go within and listen deeply to our inner wisdom for direction. Wisdom is our guide when we are open, curious and willing to learn.

Let me share an example . . .

In the past, I had a tendency to give less attention and appreciation to all my wonderful accomplishments (ICF Coaching certification) and got bogged down in disappointments (lack of coaching clients). I would chastise myself and also underestimate my ability to unleash my true potential. Believe me, this behavior got in the way of learning the valuable lessons life had come to teach me. By behaving this way I actually was allowing guilt, regret and judgment to hold me back from living into my passions.

“There are no mistakes or failures, only lessons.” 

~Denis Waitley

“Say yes to the next step” is one of the most impactful lesson in my first year using the BYYO system. By this I mean to be in the NOW instead of getting into a state of overwhelm where procrastination can set in. Doing what is the right natural next action has kept me on purpose with growing a flourishing coaching business. In addition to other personal guidelines, “Say yes to the next step” serves as motivation for me to produce the results I want with confidence.

Following my guidelines supports me to build my confidence muscle. When I follow them, I honor who I am and I am always pleasantly surprised with the results I am able to achieve.

Now I see the mishaps in my life more as an “oops” than an invitation for punishment/self-criticism.  Disappointments when kept in perspective uncover supportive advice for success. Accomplishments, when honored, are the greatest source to leverage future success.

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure

are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”

~Dale Carnegie

Recently, one of my clients revealed to me that once she accepted her own advice “Follow-thru with what I say I will do” she stayed motivated to file 7 years of delinquent taxes. She equates this major accomplishment with being a reliable and dependable person. In addition she feels joy, pride and confidence in her accomplishment.

“Inner wisdom is more important than wealth.

The more you spend it, the more you gain.”

~Oprah Winfrey

Join me in following these helpful reminders as you let wisdom be your guide.

• Live in the question: “What did I learn?” What did this disappointment come to teach me? Stay open to the answer.
• Be in a state of curiosity.
• Notice how your guidelines support you each and every day.
• Use your guidelines to strengthen your confidence muscle.

by Cindy Bostick, Certified Best Year Yet Partner

I love this time of the year! As the end of the year approaches, I’m preparing for the annual ritual of taking inventory and planning the next year of my life. I use a brilliant three-step approach from the Best Year Yet system that I like to describe as “face time.”

The first step is to reflect on the past year, specifically what I felt good about accomplishing. The second step is less pleasant because it requires an honest look at the disappointments.  The third step is the most fun because I get to choose what I want to celebrate this time next year!

I’ve discovered working this process provides the fuel I need for the next leg of my journey.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.  Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.  Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice.  And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.  They somehow already know what you truly want to become.  Everything else is secondary.” ~Steve Jobs

I’m working with a client named Josette, whose inspiring story is one of focus and perseverance.  She has not allowed the “noise” to drown out her inner voice.  In November of this year, she earned a passing grade on her thesis, completing the major piece of a stretch goal she created in 1993 (18 years ago). She started college in the early 1970’s with little direction, and eventually she quit school to pursue full time work, get married, and raise children.

When her two daughters reached elementary school age, she decided to return to college to resume focus on a personal goal.  She wanted to “walk the talk” as a role model to her beautiful daughters about the importance of education and being learning based.

For Josette it was one step at a time, one class at a time, year after year. It was always a challenge with her studies, their homework, and their afterschool activities.  Her struggles exacerbated with divorce after her long marriage, one daughter in college, and one on the way.

The divorce brought the financial challenge of keeping all three of them in school.  But a blessing came when Josette became employed by a company that provided tuition reimbursement.  Josette and her daughters split their tuition costs between student loans and parent plus loans. According to Josette, “I met every obstacle head on because I had but one focus:

Obtain my degree and make sure my daughters obtained theirs.”

Over the course of a few years Josette lost both her grandparents and her dear sweet mother who passed in 2005.  Her mother became her champion and encouraged her regularly to continue her studies.  In one of their last conversations, her mother admonished her, “Don’t quit going to school.”  Her mother knew she had taken off a quarter to spend time with her in her last few months.

During the years of 2005, 2006 and 2007, Josette and her daughters obtained their undergraduate degrees. In early 2012 Josette will earn her Masters degree in Leadership and Management, and she then intends to pursue a Doctorate degree and fulfill a life dream of becoming a university professor.  She wants to help influence young minds to think, to be creative, and to be challenged.

It is Josette’s response to common life events
that is uncommon and remarkable,
as she holds steadfast to her dream.

Several years ago I had a dream of coaching others.  During the past decade, I’ve worked in real estate in both sales and leadership roles, and I have a special passion for these professionals who work tirelessly on the front lines for their clients. So this year I launched my coaching business.

There were times when I wondered if the timing of my new venture was right, given the challenges of my self employed target market. I held fast, determined that Realtors and others needed my services today more than ever.   So I stayed connected with them, I listened to what their needs were, and I provided different mediums of coaching and training (live and online).

In 2011 I introduced 60 new clients to the Best Year Yet Online (BYYO) goal planning and tracking tool, and I’m honored to be coaching groups and individuals. I love what I do, and it feels good to finally be following my heart.

If you’d like to get started on your personal Best Year Yet goals for 2012,
please register today for my special 2 for 1 bonus offering:

https://www.bestyearyet.com/byyo/register.cfm?referral_code=1198f

All the Best,
Cindy Bostick
Mobile:  760.953.1269
Website: www.cindybostick.com
Email: cindy.bostick@bestyearyet.com