Hey Friend
It happened. The old decade ended, the new year appeared… and well, it feels quite similar. I don’t do resolutions. I don’t implement upcoming changes on the first day of January. I don’t force myself to have everything in stone. I like my process of pondering, considering, praying, meditating over all the possibilities throughout the month of December. Writing them down. Considering more.
2019 was a really good year for business. When Sarah and I talk about 2020 our conversation is “let’s keep doing what we’re doing, but also how can we get better?” Taking that approach in all areas of my life is working in this season. I have written goals for the multiple roles in my life. I even know my greatest nemesis that can prohibit my progress. I’m reaching.
Something fascinating occurred this year. With Sarah being on the team for two years, we now have consistent data to do a year-over-year comparison. As you know, Excel is not my friend. However, I do get jazzed about quantifying our efforts with our results to unveil opportunities or shortcomings.
What fascinates me is how I can interpret the numbers. I can’t manipulate the actual facts. From speaking events to dollars earned to prospecting calls made to returning clients – those are all absolutes. But what I glean from it is my translation.
How We See What We See Is Up To Me
For example, this year I spoke at one less event than I did in 2018. Both of them were roughly 20% off my Annual Event Goal. Feels a lot like a miss. Not something to celebrate. However, our overall revenue was up by 20% compared to 2018. That’s a win. But again, less than we were shooting for. So is it a loss too?
We track 32 different data points. Five of them are related to prospecting, the rest drill down into the details of events. Was it an association, corporation or non-profit? Were they referred, returning or cold? That kind of stuff. Simple information when combined, paint a picture-by-numbers of our business.
But you don’t care about the details of my business.
You care about your life! (I do too). Today’s early morning epiphany is:
Do we take a macro view of our life?
OR
Are we too deep in the details to differentiate?
HOW AM I DOING???!!!
That was the question I asked last year at this time. I didn’t have a point of reference or enough info to compare and assess.
You and I can feel that same way about our lives. Are we succeeding? Are we failing? Are we getting better? Are we getting worse? Yes, yes, yes, and yes!
That’s the beauty of the New Year. The zooming out to consider our lives from multiple angles. The difficulty lies in the minutia of daily life once again consuming our perspective. Instead of interpreting from multiple points, the most toxic or difficult aspect of our life seems to define its entirety.
What is your data set?
What are the major area’s you measure that give you a complete picture of you? Two weeks ago, when I wrote you, I offered the Six Realms of Being. I was talking mostly about Health in that correspondence. However, those Six Realms could be our defining datum.
Our society is filled with stress, anxiety, apprehension, hurt, confusion, paranoia, self-loathing mixed with loads of failure feelings. Much of it comes from a narrow evaluation of limited information. Instead of a broad perspective considering all aspects of life, one element is MAGNIFIED blurring out all the peripheral stats!
ZOOM OUT!
For peace, joy, energy, hope, optimism – heck for actual reality we’ve got to stay Big Picture. Zooming in on the little picture, shrinks our hearts and imagination. Defeat, hopelessness and discouragement come from looking too long and hard at one particular area, while ignoring all the other thriving aspects of our being.
Zooming:
Define measurable areas.
Track weekly, quarterly, annually.
Compare yourself to yourself.
Use percentages, not actuals, to measure.
Weight each area appropriately.
Ask someone to help.
We used to measure 14 different data points just in prospecting!! It was too much and we couldn’t deduce anything useful from it. I asked Rebecca to help us prioritize what was most important. She did. We think we know what’s most important in our own lives. But if all the info we collect doesn’t help us progress, it’s time to invite someone alongside us to assist in extracting priority tracking.
What if this week you…
- Stayed zoomed out and took the time to assess each domain of your Being?
- Identified the overall trajectory your wins & loses combined have you hurling towards?
- Recognized a little picture that’s consumed your attention and LOOK AWAY?
- Find someone who is succeeding where you want to and invite or insert?
I hope you’re enjoying all the good momentum that comes with the New Year. Capitalize on the Big Picture and stay looking there as long as possible!
Did you watch the ball drop? Do you have any fun traditions? Are all of your Christmas decorations down? Did you gain a bunch of weight? Do you like working on yourself? Would love to hear about your plan or simply a Hello.