With the end of a year and the end of the decade, it’s time for reflection.
Conventional wisdom says we should look back at the last year (or the last decade) and recount our triumphs and our missteps.
But, I say no. I do not want to look back at anything from the last year or even the last decade. I only want to look forward and think about the things I want to do.
What is done is done and the success and the slips are behind me now. I can’t change anything from before and I can only influence what is ahead and the biggest determination of what is ahead for me and my family is my attitude.
I don’t think I’m a selfish person and I think I’ve lived my life along that track. I care about my family, friends and employees and I have put them first over the last several months and years and I know (in most cases) they are grateful but, I have learned something about myself over the years and that is simply that when I take care of me first, I’m better for everyone.
So, what is my outlook for moving forward? I will be better to myself and then I can be better to everyone else in 2020.
We often run forward into a new year with the attitude of what we are going to do for others and never thinking of how strong we must be to accomplish those goals we set for ourselves.
In 2020 you should arm yourself and be your own champion. When we look to hero stories, we often see the preparation and training that the hero goes through before the big fight or challenge. In fact, the hero in most of these stories spends a lot of “me time” (often in the cliché of a training montage) before anything important happens. We must be at our best before we can be a hero to anyone.
2020 is the year of “me” and I think it should be the year of you too!
Let’s all take a little responsibility for our own happiness and attitude. Your situation in life is your responsibility. That may be a radical thought but, when you really decide that is true, a lot of things will start to happen for you. I have learned that over the years most real significant change in my life started with me and the change I began in myself. I’ve had a lot of people influence my life but how I worked with those people and how I used their influence all came from me.
I know I’ve blown as many opportunities as I’ve succeeded in and mostly because of my attitude. I was not in the right frame of mind and had not really prepared to reach out and grab an opportunity because I thought I was not ready.
How many times was I wrong? I’ll never know what the outcome would have been. I do know that it was my doubt and my lack of preparation that stopped me and not some external force. You need to be ready in 2020 and to be ready you have to prepare and you have to work on you and your attitude toward life and the challenges it will bring you in 2020.
So, I’m putting everyone on notice that you are responsible for you and your happiness in 2020 because I’m going to be busy working on me. I make you this promise that when I get done working on me, I will have something left over for you and it will be better than the “me” I had for you back then. You will like the new version of me, and I bet I will like the new version of you too and I promise you will like the new version of you better too.
So, here’s to us in 2020! I know it will be a great year for me! How about you?
1st Street Media President
James Wyatt
