The Best Year of Your Life

1. Create a Powerful Intent for Your Best Year

Intent is to humans what software is to a computer.

Define your intent. Creating a powerful intent for your best year is the first crucial step towards realizing it. This intent acts as an organizing principle, guiding your daily behaviors and choices. It's not just a vague wish, but a commitment to bring a particular result into existence.

Install and revisit your intent. Like installing software on a computer, you need to consciously install your intent into your psyche. This requires daily reinforcement. Make a habit of affirming your intent at the beginning and end of each day. Use visual reminders, such as notes or signs, in your living and working spaces.

Allow intent to shape your reality. A strong intent can dramatically shift your perspective, opening up new possibilities you couldn't see before. It generates an energetic force that pulls you towards your desired results. By consistently aligning with your intent, you'll find yourself naturally making choices that support your vision of your best year.

2. Expose and Overcome Your Limiting Fantasies

Fantasy blinds us from right action and prevents us from seeing what we could do to improve our lives.

Identify your fantasies. Many of us live in fantasies that keep us waiting for some future event to bring us happiness. These fantasies often sound like "When I finally get...", "As soon as I accomplish...", or "Next year I will...". Recognizing these thoughts as fantasies is the first step to overcoming them.

Uncover the underlying feelings. Fantasies are often about chasing certain feelings rather than specific outcomes. Ask yourself: "How do I think I will feel once my goal is attained?" This reveals what you're really seeking.

Take action in the present. Once you've identified the feelings you're chasing, find ways to generate those feelings now. This might involve:

• Acknowledging your current accomplishments
• Practicing gratitude for what you already have
• Taking small, immediate actions towards your goals
• Giving yourself the validation or recognition you're seeking from others

3. Step into Your Highest Vision of Yourself

Underneath all of our public personas, we already are that which we desire to be. Our only job is to see past our own limitations so that we can return to that which we already are.

Envision your best self. Create a clear, compelling vision of who you are at your best. This vision should inspire and lift you out of your day-to-day problems, supporting you in making extraordinary choices.

Identify necessary qualities. Ask yourself what qualities you need to embody to achieve your vision. For example, if you want to create a balanced life, you might need to become more disciplined or develop clearer priorities.

Cultivate desired qualities. Once you've identified the necessary qualities, take deliberate actions to develop them:

• Seek out experiences that challenge you to embody these qualities
• Practice these qualities in small ways daily
• Acknowledge and celebrate when you demonstrate these qualities
• Surround yourself with people who exemplify these traits

4. Plan Your Year with Clear Goals and Structures

Without structure it's highly unlikely that you'll ever fulfill your vision or achieve outstanding results.

Set specific, measurable goals. Your goals should be clearly defined, measurable, realistic, and within your control. They should have a specific timeline and a plan for accomplishment.

Create supporting structures. Develop systems and supports to help you manage your time, actions, and progress. This might include:

• Calendars and schedules
• Action plans
• Accountability partners or coaches
• Regular check-ins or progress reviews

Embrace discipline. View discipline as your ally, not your jailer. It's the tool that ensures you follow through on your plans and achieve your goals. Recognize that the discomfort of discipline is far less than the pain of regret.

5. Live with Impeccable Integrity

When we are living inside our personal integrity, we are connected to our core, unwavering in our commitment, and worthy of our own trust.

Define your personal integrity. Integrity means aligning your actions with your deepest values and commitments. It's about being true to yourself and keeping your word, even when it's difficult.

Create integrity anchors. Develop specific practices that keep you grounded in your integrity. These might be daily, weekly, or monthly commitments that reflect your values and support your goals.

Recognize the power of integrity. Living with integrity:

• Builds self-trust and confidence
• Attracts positive opportunities and relationships
• Provides clarity in decision-making
• Creates a sense of peace and alignment

6. Cultivate High Self-Esteem Through Daily Choices

Having high self-esteem is our greatest ally. When we feel great about who we are, we radiate an undeniable magnetic energy that attracts to us all the things we desire.

Prioritize self-esteem. Recognize that feeling good about yourself is essential for living your best life. It's the foundation upon which all your successes are built.

Make esteem-building choices. Every day presents countless opportunities to build or diminish your self-esteem. Choose actions that:

• Align with your values and goals
• Demonstrate self-respect and self-care
• Push you slightly out of your comfort zone
• Allow you to acknowledge your accomplishments

Practice self-compassion. Learn to treat yourself with kindness and understanding, especially when you fall short of your expectations. Remember that perfection is not the goal; growth and learning are.

7. Claim Memorable Moments and Create Unforgettable Days

Life is not a motion picture but rather a series of Polaroids.

Cultivate awareness. Pay attention to the special moments in your day. These might be as simple as a beautiful sunset or a meaningful conversation with a friend.

Consciously claim moments. When you experience something special, pause to fully absorb it. Say to yourself, "I'm claiming this moment." Take a mental snapshot, noticing the details and how you feel.

Design memorable days. Regularly plan days that will stand out in your memory. These don't have to be extravagant; they just need to be intentional and meaningful. Ideas include:

• A "laugh day" with loved ones, watching comedies and sharing funny stories
• A "romance day" with your partner, filled with gestures of love and appreciation
• A "family history day," sharing old photos and stories across generations
• A personal "adventure day," trying something new and exciting

8. Live Your Life as an Example to Inspire Others

Each of our lives matter and make a huge difference in this world, and each of us has the opportunity to make this world a better place.

Recognize your impact. Understand that how you live your life affects those around you, whether you intend it to or not. Your actions and choices can inspire and influence others.

Dedicate your growth to others. If becoming your best self doesn't inspire you, do it for someone else. Choose a person or group to dedicate your growth to, such as your children, a mentee, or a community you care about.

Embrace service. Look for ways to contribute to others' lives. This might involve:

• Mentoring someone younger or less experienced
• Volunteering for a cause you care about
• Using your skills and resources to help those in need
• Sharing your knowledge and experiences to inspire others

Remember, living as an example isn't about being perfect. It's about consistently striving to be your best self and using your growth and success to positively impact others.

Last updated: November 19, 2024