2019 is finally here…

Alongside the accompanying new year resolutions, most frequent among them, renewed, yet rarely ‘lifted’ gym subscriptions. However, there is one truth about change that eludes us many of us… it can come at any time, anywhere. It begins with a mental decision and materializes with action.

Each new day presents us with the possibility of improvement. However, there is something about the new year that drives most of us to lump the pains of the year about to end and cast them aside in hopes of a more fulfilling, fun and indeed financially affluent year to come.We fantasize about saving our first million, scaling the great pyramids, or perhaps beach bumming in Bora Bora. Perhaps we hope to start a business or get a promotion at our job.

Ambition is infinite, unfortunately, time isn’t. A year presents us with 365 days, 8,760 hours and 525,600 minutes with which to transform our lives. Let this simple guide help you make the most of 2019 and beyond.

CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK: DEVELOP A NEW PARADIGM

All things begin in the mind. I disagree with those who suggest you put mind over matter. I’ve found my equation to be more fruitful: Mind=Matter. In his seminal book, ‘Think & Grow Rich’, Napoleon Hill claims that our minds are only thing blocking the massive success that sits well within our potential. The things we think materialize. What do you spend most of your time thinking about?

If you want to be achieve anything, you must change how you think in relation to that aspect of your life. This will impact the way you act and, over time, help you get closer and closer to your goal. You have to shift your paradigm from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance. With this simple mind trick (no, I’m not a Jedi) I was able to increase my earning by 10x in just one year. Actions always follow thoughts, so only when you put FOCUS towards earning will it increase. Once again, what you give FOCUS to will be magnified in your life.

Our thoughts create our realities – we often hinder ourselves from things we really want by using negative self-talk to breed feelings of insecurity and doubt. Get rid of fear and become your own cheerleader. Pat yourself on the back. You deserve it. Commit yourself to be better. It is one of the best things you can do for yourself and one of the surest ways to guarantee you always get what you want.

Ever heard of the Law of Attraction? Simply put, it means that what you focus on the most or spend a lot of time and energy thinking on creates the situations that play out in your life, so it’s important to maintain a positive, confident mindset. If you think anything is possible in your life and things are always working out for you, this is exactly what will happen. Think of Muhammad Ali – he told the world he was the greatest constantly and spoke very highly of himself and his abilities… and he became just that! Our very own Marcus Garvey was very fond of a confident mental outlook, noting that with confidence the race is already won.

Understand this simple truth: You are your only limitation – the only thing or person preventing you from attaining your goals is you. You are the only common denominator in your life. Your experiences; all the instances and terrible or challenging situations that you’ve endured were also opportunities for learning… to make you stronger. Learn to take full responsibility for your life. Work hard to ensure that even with all the troubles life brings, you can and will still make it happen. Make gratitude a habit and commit to making your life work, then reap the results.

BECOME SELF AWARE 

To get what you want, you must first know what ‘it’ is. Self-awareness is critical. Most will argue that this is easier said than done, but if you understand yourself enough and have positive influences around who understand you and can provide guidance, you will be able to find out what your true passions are. All it takes is a keen listening ear. The voice inside will always know the way forward. Take the time to really listen to yourself. Start with the things you love and can do really well, then evaluate your next move from there. Ask yourself these questions:

• Which one of these things come with hardships I’m willing to bear?

This is a very important step, probably the most crucial in the decision-making process, because nothing in life comes easy. It forces you to look at the bigger picture, assess your self-discipline and imagine how things will be in the future. You will need to first decide and then choose which of the inevitable anguish that comes you are able and willing to take on. This will take you a step closer to figuring things out.

• What do I do for pleasure that others see as work?

The next move from there would be to identify the thing that keeps you up at night, or at least that keeps you going for hours on end without realising how quickly time is passing. This is a telltale sign of loving an activity. It will help you to home in on what resonates with your soul so you can stay true to the essence of you. Follow your heart and you will have done half the work. The second half involves successfully converting it into a business or a social venture you can spend a lifetime building. Understand that what you love may not always guarantee material success, so you must be very clear about what it is you actually want to achieve.

• What am I willing to give up on to pursue this dream?

The final question involves trimming the fat. In other words, narrow your focus. We live in an era where everything is fast-paced, our smartphones are always buzzing, Facebook is always calling us forth and most of us have the 7-second attention span of a goldfish. Although many proclaim themselves masters at multitasking, it is a myth. Studies have shown that it’s better to do one thing exceptionally well than to do 10 things below standard or leave them unfinished. Focus on guaranteeing quality then improve your efficiency so that the quantity will follow. It matters.

CRAFT A STRATEGY: HOW WILL YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS?

After you’ve completed a thorough assessment of yourself and all your skills, strengths and weaknesses, you will be in a much better position to make a plan and follow through with it. This is the only way to turn your dream life into reality so you can become the best version of you in

all aspects. It takes work, and you have to be ready for it, so having clear goals are an absolute necessity if you really want to get going. How to ascertain if your goals are properly defined and likely to be attained? Use the SMART system… that is, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound.

Once you know what you want, write it down and set a timeline. This is the first step towards actualizing it because your brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS) will immediately categorize it as important. Segment your goal into actionable tasks and phases so you will know what you should have completed at the end of each period.

Stop for a moment and write down 5 things you want to achieve this year and 10 things you want to achieve over a lifetime. Now write the tasks that you will have to complete daily to achieve these things. Then …take action! Identify your KPIs (key performance indicators) so you can monitor your progress and easily spot when things are working (or not working) and adjust your strategy. This will allow you to work as SMART as you work hard, taking you even closer to the life you want. Most of all, remember to be confident in yourself and trust the process.

Above all, remember this: To get what you want out of life, you must first ‘level up’ to a better you. Who you are today has only taken you so far and no further. Once you take an active role in shaping your destiny, success is sure to follow. Wishing you the very best as achieve your goals and unlock a better you for 2019.

Kemal Brown is a serial entrepreneur, investor and international speaker. He loves digital technology, is a certified techie and re-incarnated lion (or so he tells himself). He trains executives, mentors entrepreneurs and leads Digita Global Marketing Ltd., and the Digita Global Group of companies.