It’s the Year of the Dog

2018! Every new year brings an entirely new way of thinking about how we can live our most fulfilling lives. It’s refreshing! And I’m excited to say that 2018 is The Year of the Dog. 

I am going to make this my year, and The Year of the Dog is going to give me the fuel to do it. I’d encourage you to do the same...this is OUR year and we are going to make it all happen. Let the year begin!

“But what does that actually mean,” you might be asking!?!

The Year of the Dog is about luck, money, love, and success. It’s about feeling hopeful for the future because all the hard work will really begin to pay off. The Year of the Dog is about getting the rewards we so richly deserve after a lot of sacrifice, struggle, and sweat. 

So let’s use this new found energy and put the essential elements of The Year of the Dog to use for us, for our success. 

Here’s some thoughts on how...

Focus on your core skills and maximize them out. Deep down, you know what you’re truly good at. Set your humility aside and and just go ahead and embrace your special talents. Own it! Bring it! Work it! Because you’re damn good at what you do! So let your core expertise be the focus of the year and make the most of it. Work your skills hard to build out your success for the year, and you’ll be amazed how what you’ve learned through the years can now serve you so well in making you happy and successful.

Build out the relationships that are most important to you. We all have an inner circle of family, friends, and colleagues who we value the most. Seinfeld had them on speed dial, and you should have them be your hashtag for the year. Spend time taking those relationships to the next level, and make some extra meaningful time with those you love the most. The returns will give you the boost you need to make this the year of a lifetime.

Get out there! Admit it, you love to be out and about, whether online or off. Take advantage of your networking skills to put yourself and your business out there. Leverage your natural ability to make connections and put them to work towards your goals. You’ll get there faster and much farther as a result. 

Get pragmatic and add some structure. You’re not just a pie in the sky dreamer. You know that it takes hard work and discipline to get where you want. So buckle down and get your ducks in a row. Align the building blocks that will build your foundation for growth first, and then move on from there. 

Apply the learnings of your past mistakes. Really successful people have long memories. You’ve been paying your dues and you’ve learned a lot in the process. Now’s the time to put that knowledge to work to build out your success. You won’t make the same mistake twice if you’re purposeful about it. This is the year that the cuts and bruises of the past will become hallmarks of success. 

It’s The Year of the Dog.

If you concentrate on the elements that make The Year of the Dog so meaningful, then 2018 will not disappoint you. Quite the contrary, it’ll end of being a year for the record books. Happy New Year!