How Will You Succeed in 2015?

So if the definition of success (in life and business) is up to you, when you create your own business and drive your own work, you are the one who defines what success in these will be.

You will be the one who knows you have succeeded if:

• you can drop a day at work.
• you can quit your day job altogether.
• you have more time to spend with your family and friends, and you’re intentional about doing so.
• you can take a few months off every year and travel the world.
• you don’t give up on a project that you’ve been working on.
• you restore a relationship with someone.
• you get out of debt and can take your kids on an overseas holiday.
• you get to spend every weekend with your family instead of in the office.
• your article gets published.
• your design gets put into production.
• you’re responsible for your company winning a new client.
• you overcome a fear and increase your quality of life because of it.
• you form a new, positive habit.
• etc, and so on…

At the end of the day success is about living the life you choose with dignity, grace and perseverance.
Setting your own guidelines and rules to live by.
Defining your own form of contentment and happiness.
Being the person you want your children & niblings to look up to.
Making the world a better place than it was when you arrived.

How will you MEASURE it?

Funnily enough, often, in these new definitions of success, you will be the only one who knows if you have succeeded.  So it’s important to take the time to think about how you will know if you have succeeded.

Some of these are no-brainers.  If it’s done, you succeeded.

Others will require you to be honest with yourself and those around you. You may want to make these visible. Maybe a chart on the wall for everyone who comes in the house to see.

Or it might be between yourself and a select group, maybe there’ll be a secret spreadsheet you update each week, or an accountability buddy you check in with regularly who’ll get to decide.

Whatever it is define these at the time you define your success criteria.  Then you’ll have a tangible way of identifying and acknowledging success, even if it’s just to yourself.  Honesty, even with yourself, empowers.

How will you CELEBRATE it?

Then take the time to celebrate what you’ve achieved.  Even if the celebration is something small.  A quiet hour with a coffee and a book.  A manicure. Dinner with friends. Whatever it is do something to mark your achievement, and say, “Well done me, I did it!”

You know what will mean the most to you, and you’ll know how big a celebration the achievement warrants. But don’t let the moment pass by. At the very least take a few minutes to sit, acknowledge and smile that yes, you have succeeded, and that it was a job well done.

How will you GET it?

You need to plan of course!  At this time of year there’s a lot of great resources coming out from smart people to help you plan your year ahead.

One of the one’s we’re loving right now is Michael Hyatt’s “5 Days to Your Best Year Ever”. We love Michael’s idea to “Give yourself the gift of your best year ever!”

He’s released a series of 3 videos to help you identify what’s important for you, and some key steps to help you put those into action.

• We’d highly recommend you take a look.  All three videos are available now so get on over and check them out now.

We’ve also created a board on Pinterest to collect awesome resources like this that people are sharing right now.

• So, come on over and follow our “Make this Year Count” board for a growing list of podcasts, templates and planning tips to make your new year in business and life your best yet!

Have you got any tips or resources to help plan for success?  We’d love to see them, let us know in the comments below.

Wishing you a very successful 2015, may it truly be your best year ever!!