Luke is back with another solo episode, this time discussing ideas for making positive changes in 2020. During the episode, he’ll share 10 ideas to help you reach your goals in 2020, starting with advice on how to change the way you think, followed by specific tactics to implement. He also shares several resources and books for continued learning and growth.
Show Notes
Now that 2020 is in full swing, it’s a great time to look ahead and start thinking about what you’d like to achieve this year. If you’re hoping for a year of abundance and growth, I have 10 ideas to share with you that should help you along your journey! Here’s a brief overview of the 10 topics for this episode:
- Idea #1: Control = Responsibility. This is one of my favorite “mindsets” when it comes to personal growth and goal attainment. Simply put, if you accept responsibility for your life, you will also gain control over it. This contrasts to the way many people think, especially those who are fond of blaming other people and other circumstances for their lot in life. Stop blaming others and start taking control! Now you’ve got a chance for growth!
- Idea #2: The Power of Positive Thinking. The thoughts you allow yourself to think will dictate the course of your life. Consider one of my favorite quotes: “Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.” If you want to achieve positive things this year, you’ll need to change the way you think. And one of the best places to start is by eliminating negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones.
- Idea #3: Read Something! Following the need to focus on positive thinking, one of the easiest ways to think more positively is simply to read something positive (I’ll share several books for you to consider below). Bold statement: watching TV is not doing you any favors, especially if you watch the news or other negative programming. So consider reducing your time in front of the TV or on social media, and start reading something positive instead!
- Idea #4: Surround Yourself with Like-minded People. If you’re looking to make positive changes in your life this year, one of the best strategies you can use is to surround yourself with other people who are also trying to learn and grow. On the other side of the coin, you’ll want to distance yourself from those people who will hold you back, especially those people who will try to talk you out of your goals. It’s time to find your tribe!
- Idea #5: Define Your Goals (and your definition of “Success”). Before you can get started in the right direction in 2020, you’ll want to determine exactly where you’d like to go. In addition to defining your goals in as much detail as possible, spend some time thinking about why these goals are important to you. To help with this process, consider this quote from Earl Nightingale: “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” In other words, you get to choose what you want out of life (your “worthy ideals”), and then “success” is the pursuit of these ideals/goals. Make sure you give this some thought before simply adopting standard goals just because everyone else thinks those things are important.
- Idea #6: Tell Someone About Your Goals. Once you have some goals in place that are really important to you, one thing you can do to increase your chances of reaching your goals is simply to tell someone about them. When you do this, you gain an immediate bump in your accountability. Even better, consider sharing your goals with an “accountability partner”, someone who can help you along the way and encourage you. Ideally, this is also someone you can help keep accountable (think of having a workout buddy).
- Idea #7: Make a Plan. Now that you’ve decided where you’d like to go and what you’d like to achieve, it’s time to make a plan to help you reach your goals. Don’t get stuck on this tip, just give it some thought before you start expending your energy in the wrong direction.
- Idea #8: Take Action! With your plan in place, it’s now time to get moving in the right direction! For many people, the hardest part with anything new is simply getting started. Consider the rocket-ship analogy: rocket ships use up 97% of their fuel just to get off the ground and break the earth’s gravitational pull. After that, they need very little fuel to stay on course and move towards their destination. So don’t get stuck thinking too much (“analysis paralysis”). When in doubt, just get moving in the right direction and then adjust your course as needed!
- Idea #9: Enjoy the Ride! Have some fun! Going back to the idea of thinking positively, you want to make sure that you enjoy the process of growth and change vs. saving your feelings of joy for when you actually reach your goal. Failure and setbacks are part of the process, so try to see them for what they are: opportunities for learning and growth.
- Idea #10: Get Some Help. All of these ideas sound really nice and easy, but the reality is that sometimes we just need a little help. Specifically, you might want to consider working with a counselor, coach or mastermind group (or all 3) to increase your chances of success. So don’t be afraid to ask someone for help :-)
- Additional Resources: during the podcast, I mention several books. Here’s a complete list of them:
- “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale
- “Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon
- “The Strangest Secret” by Earl Nightingale
- “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill
- “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
- “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey
Thank you for listening to the “Stay Healthy Spokane” podcast! If you have any comments/questions or ideas for future topics, please reach out to Luke at Luke@GordonPhysicalTherapy.com
