Happy New Year! Let’s Make It A Good One.

To paraphrase the words of John Lennon:

“Another year over
And a new one just begun
And what have you done?”
John Lennon. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

This article will try to be universal and general in the approach to the beginning of any new year. But we cannot ignore the fact that 2020 has been one of the worst years in recorded history for so many people in so many countries, all around the world. Covid-19, the Corona virus has affected human-kind globally.

In the west, America has seemingly become a shadow of her former self. America will no doubt, rebound with or without a particular president in office – she will become great again. Because the secret to the success of America or at least the idea that is America, is the ideal that everyone has a chance. Despite all odds, in America, it is possible, in just about anyway that you can measure it, to be successful. No other country, it seems, has that ideal attached to it as strongly as America does.

Even with all of the problems that America has recently faced and still seems to have a way to go to overcome them, if you surveyed people in non-western countries around the world, I am sure that a vast majority of them would still say that their dream would be to be able to move to and make their life in America. Despite it all, there is still hope for America and America still is, for so many people, the land of hopes and dreams.

Hope For 2021

Yes, the previous year was a bad year in so many ways. And the world is not out of hot water yet. But the new year of 2021 closes a chapter of history that I am sure most of us would like to forget. And the new year of 2021 does have some hope attached to it. With vaccinations being manufactured in what seems to be record time, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 2021 should be a much better year than 2020 was.

However, keep in mind that throughout history there have been good years and bad years. 2020 was not a completely anomalous year. As well, please consider this, of the many things that happened in 2020, how many of those things were completely out of your own personal control? Most of them, if not all of them. The point is that we all need to continue living our lives as best as we can regardless of what may be going on in the world around us. We all need to be taking care of ourselves and of those around us as best we can.

The new year of 2021 is a new year of hope for many reasons but every new year can still be considered a new year of hope for each and every one of us, regardless of global or personal events that my have occurred in the previous year. Although a new year allows us to close a chapter in our lives, we all need to find ways to improve who we are and what we do with our lives all of the time, day by day, each and every day.

You. Me. Us. Them.

The hope and promise of a new year needs to be embraced on a very individual and personal level. Each one of us needs to be the source of our own hope and promise.

So when John Lennon sang the words:

“Another year over
And a new one just begun
And what have you done?”
John Lennon. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

even though he was probably singing to the whole world, it ought to be understood that the to whom he was singing and asking the question of, is actually to each and every one of us, as individuals:

“The near and the dear ones
The old and the young
For weak and for strong
The rich and the poor ones
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Another year over
And a new one just begun…”
John Lennon. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

“And What Have YOU Done?”

A new year is an obvious time for us to do analysis and review of how we acted and behaved in the previous year. And then, of course, to find the things that we can improve on and to do better in the new year. Whoever we are, whatever we may have done or not done, we can all do better. We can be better.

It is important to point out that the purpose of reviewing your previous year is not for you to beat yourself up over the things that you did or did not to. The point of review is to think about and learn from the mistakes that we made and then to do our very best to not repeat them.

In order to achieve success, mistakes will be made, but then we must take the time to learn from them, lick our wounds and go on not just in spite of the mistakes made but also because of them.

Learning from our mistakes and then doing our very best to not make those mistakes again and to find ways to do things smarter, better, more efficiently, more lovingly and purposefully gives us the chance to grow and develop ourselves into better human-beings.

Doing better as human beings will allow us to be better friends, sons, brothers, uncles, lovers, fathers and grand-fathers.

In short, doing better as human beings will allow us the opportunity of being a better man.

Again, as it always has and as it always will be, it all comes down to and starts with you. Life is not fair. Politics is a vampire. Presidents come and go. Yes, everyone knows that life is hard. The question is and always will be. So what are you going to do about it?

When John Lennon asks us:

“And what have you done?”

what he is really asking and pointing out to each and every one of us is:

“Another year over, And a new one just begun…”

So for this new year, what good will YOU DO and BRING INTO the world?

Assuming that you have reviewed your last year and you have some thoughts on how you can be better this year, a very good place to start is with your own ideas about what you really want for yourself and then setting some goals for yourself in the new year.

You do want to be better? You do want to have achievements and to be a successful man? Our answer must be yes and so, setting goals for ourselves will be our road-map for our quest for success and to be better men.

Before continuing if you need some help for setting your goals maybe you need some help defining your purpose. If so, you can read this article.

Something to think about: Goals Start With An Idea And Ideas Are Expressed In Words

One way to get started sorting out some goals for yourself is to start with having a theme for your goals. For example, if your goal is to be a better father to your children, son to your parents or husband for your wife, your theme can come from the word Family. Family is your theme for the new year.

How Choosing A Word For The New Year Can Help Make It Your Best Yet

As it is for far too many of us and for far too much of our limited time, if you do spend any time on social media (wasting time on social media or the internet in general is an issue for another day), then perhaps you’ve seen this before. As a New Year approaches, you’ll find that there are people from all walks of life assigning for themselves a single word designed to define their coming year.

While no one seems to know exactly where the idea may have originated, there are a number of people that seem to agree that using a single word to create a theme – their theme – for the new year will help them with setting and working towards their goals.

The word that they choose becomes something for them to hang onto throughout the coming year. The word becomes their foundation stone that they will use to build the goals of their entire year on. Guess what? You can choose a word too.

When put like that, it makes sense for you too, to hunt down a word that is solid and strong enough for you to hold up your dreams and aspirations for the coming year. Let’s look at a few more reasons why choosing a word can help you make this your best year yet.

By the way, your choice does not need to be limited to one word. If your word is excellence, in the words of Bill and Ted, you can use “Be Excellent”. Or, If your word is family, you can choose, “Family Man”. Ideally, the goal for this exercise is not to come up with a Personal Mission Statement, although, your word could also be the beginning of one.

There’s A Simple Elegance To The Idea Of Having A Theme Word

With all the craze to simplify life and live in a minimalistic way, taking on a single word to define your year holds a certain appeal. You do not need to go full on minimalism here, but certainly simplifying most aspects of your life can be a very good thing!

Anyway, instead of slogging through a pile of resolutions or To-Do lists, that may or may not have any real connection to each other, or even to you, you are instead sticking to the idea of a handful of letters and syllables. Simply elegant, right?

Your Theme Word Provides Focus

This word that you choose will be the center point to just about all that you do. When confronted by new challenges or ideas, you can hold them up against this word and know instantly whether or note this is a good fit for you. If the new challenge or idea does not hold up against your word, saying “no” becomes so much easier and guilt free. Are you keeping to your own ideals?

It Defines Your Intentions

In your word holds the idea of your inherent goal. What is your direction? What needs to be done? Where do you need to go? Your word should make your heading obvious to you and then to also serve to keep you on course in the direction that you need to go.

Finding Your Theme Word
With so many benefits, having a word as your foundation stone for the year makes quite a lot of sense.

The question now becomes how to find your word?:

Think about the end of this past year. Who are you? Think about the coming year. What kind of person would you prefer to be at the end of it? Is there a word that you can use to define your future you?
Do you have specific goals that you would like to accomplish? What word or words will hold you to your goal and act as a beacon to guide you there?
Are you shifting away from old behaviors that might not have served you well in the past? What word describes this shift?
Who are the people you look up to? Is there a word to describe them?

Once you have your word, try it on for size. There is no rule saying you can’t change it to something else if this word doesn’t work.

Does this word suit you? Is it something you can live with? The choice of your word should not just be something that you accept. Your word of choice should be word that inspires you and reflects the man that you want to be. When you say it out loud do you feel the power that is behind the word? That is the kind of word that you should be looking for.

With Your Chosen Word, Use It Everyday And Just About All Of The Time.

When you have a choice to be made use your word to help you make the wise choice. In the morning, when you wake up reflect on your word and how you will use the word to help you throughout your day.

At night, before going to sleep, review the day that was and see where your word worked for you and maybe where it might not of or, where you may have missed using your word during that day and how you can use your word for the next day.

When you’re content with your word, use it well and enjoy using it. Your word should be a constructive part of your life. Embrace it! After all, it’s now part of who you are.

One more thing to think about before you start setting your goals…

Maybe Now Is The Time To Change One Thing To Ensure Your Best Year Yet?

With the new year starting, it’s understandable to have doubts about how you can possibly make this year your best one yet. The problem comes when you actually make the time to try to figure out the details of how this is supposed to happen for you and those that you care about.

Typically, we tend to look for these answers in lists and resolutions, long detailed instructions involving work in every aspect of your life guaranteed to give you success. These things are all needed and a part of your success, sure. In order to succeed, you need to do the things that can make it happen.

So since you are or will now be taking the steps that you need to take that can bring you the success that you seek, what if you only needed to change one major thing to really set the stage to make this happen? At least one more thing that will help you stay on track with your plans for the new year…

Take a moment and think about this: When you actually put the effort in, in just about every one of your previous successes, what was the one thing consistently part of the process which made it easier to get there? Likewise, in every one of your failures, where did the greatest difficulties lie?

If we’re honest with ourselves then we realize both answers are the same. It was the people around us who probably had the most significant impact in these moments, good or bad. The best of our success typically has friends, mentors, support groups, and cheerleaders all of that have your back and are rooting for you. On the other hand, it’s the naysayers, the critics, the problematic people who hold us back.

With this in mind, ask yourself this: Who do you want to hang out during the New Year?

Make it your point to keep company with people that are motivated, grounded in their approach and that are success oriented.

When you stop to think about it. It is really not that complicated: When you become intentional in the company you keep, you’ll find your entire world changes.

Why Does It Matter With Who You Spend Your Time With?

They Already Think The Way You Do

Being around success oriented, like-minded people means they already have an innate understanding of the need to set and achieve your goals. You’re not wasting a lot of time trying to explain what and why you’re doing something to someone who doesn’t understand.

They’re Already There

These are your mentors, the ones who have the experience to guide you on your own path.

They’re Motivators

By understanding your journey, they also quickly comprehend the challenges you’re facing and know just how to cheer you on.

They Become Accountability Partners

The right crowd is more than happy to help keep you on task because they understand the full importance of what you’re doing.

In the end associating with the right people becomes so important therefore you need to do what it takes to find them. Seem hard? It isn’t really. Go where the action is! This is where you need to become proactive and take the initiative. After all, they’re not going to find you!

Start with going places where you’ll find people who understand your dreams. Attend seminars and free lectures. Look for groups on Facebook and other social media. Check out Meet-Ups for in-person get-together in your area.

The side benefit of all this? You’ll be learning more in the process, and better equip yourself to get where you want to go. It’s a win-win all the way around!

Success minded people are out there and some of them are more then willing and happy to help someone else on their journey to success. Who knows? Maybe next year you will be the one doing the mentoring to someone else?