The 5 Simple Steps to Plan for a Successful New Year

At the beginning of a new year there is usually a lot of excitement about all the new possibilities and opportunities that seem to be right around the corner. Then the champagne high wears off, the excitement fades and we begin to fall back into our old “everyday” patterns of what was, what is and what will always be… forgetting about all the possibilities and opportunities that only a few weeks ago seemed like forgone conclusions.

Well we want to share 5 steps that not only make for a great and successful year, but also make for a great and successful life!

Step 1 – Know It Out Know it’s going to be your best and most successful year yet. Now this may seem a little strange, but how can you get there if you don’t know where you are going? So set the intention of what this year is going to look like, and be as clear and specific as you can.

How many clients do you have? How much money are you making? What are you using money for? Where are you going on vacation? Where are your kids going to school? Where are you moving to this year? What improvements are you making to your home?

Begin setting your intentions and knowing they are here already.

Step 2 – Map It Out Paige and I used to teach Life Map™ workshops when we first started our business, and a Life Map™ or vision board, is a simple yet powerful tool to create a visual representation of what you desire your life (and in this case your next year) to look and feel like.

Just get yourself some poster board and a glue stick. Then give yourself some time to go through some magazines pulling out the images that represent (to you) the year you desire and put your intentions down on paper. Once you’re finished, put your Life Map™ somewhere you’ll see it everyday and as you look at it begin to “feel yourself” into the images. See yourself already having those experiences.

Step 3 – Plan It Out Now that you know what you want and what you want it to look and feel like, you need to make some time for it. It’s important to realize that there are only 24 hours in the day, and that all the minutes and hours are already filled in your schedule with something – so we need to make some time in your life for all the greatness you desire to come pouring in.

This is what we call creating your “office hours” – it’s your declaration to the Universe that “I’m serious and I’m making time for the success of my business.”

How do you create your office hours? Decide based on your intentions how many hours you’re going to work a day and how many days a week you’re going to work with your full, thriving practice. Let’s say you’re planning to see clients for 8 hours a day, 4 days a week. And let’s say you’ll have 2 hours a day of admin and other work. So that’s 40 hours a week.

We need to get those hours on your calendar, yes, literally written on your calendar. What days? Between what hours? Remember, this is your declaration to the Universe that you’re ready, willing and able to receive your intentions.

Step 4 – Work It Out Now that your office hours are written on your calendar, it’s time to fill those hours with only 2 things…. Client Work (that’s working with your clients) and Getting Client Work (that’s marketing, connection calls, follow up, creating and doing teleclasses, etc.) this means no TV, shopping, laundry, errands, games, hours of social media, long walks to “clear your mind” (all things we’re guilty of doing in the past) during your Office Hours.

Remember, creating your Office Hours is your declaration to the Universe that you’re ready to serve your clients, so if you wouldn’t do it with a client, you shouldn’t do it during your Office Hours.

Step 5 – Get It Out So now that you know what you want, you know what it looks like, you know when you’re going to do it and you know what to do… it’s time to take action. It’s time to have some conversations and connect with people.

Remember, the opportunity for the success you desire in 2012 is in your life right now and, as Wallace Wattles points out, it’s going to come through other people.

So, it’s time for you to meet some new people. It’s time to be curious. It’s time to get out of the house. It’s time to go out and network. It’s time to get the support you need. It’s time to follow up with the people you’ve been dragging your feet about. It’s time to build your sphere of influence.

It’s time to have the success you desire… so Know It, Map It, Plan It, Work It, Get It and start living It!

Call to Action

Take some time this week to go through these 5 simple steps, they really can change your life. And they’re a lot of fun too!

Remember, the success you desire in your business comes from the Universe (Spirit, the Divine, God) but it comes through people. The success comes through your clients…. so get clear about what you desire your year to look like and then dedicate the time to yourself, your clients and your business to have the success you desire.

Now go out there and have an amazing 2012!