by Angela Pride
2014 is finally here, are you ready? Ready or not there are things that are growth stunting that I urge you not to carry with you into the New Year. Growth is an area that I’m constantly focusing on with my clients. I want them all to be prosperous, innovative, and most importantly relevant. If you lack these 3 attributes I can assure you that you are not growing. Today I would like to focus on some key things that you should not be doing in 2014. With these 8 things in mind your 2014 is guaranteed to be better and a lot more productive than your latter years.
The 1st thing you should NOT be doing in 2014 is Working Alone.
1. Working alone is so yesterday, you must know that none of the greats make it to the top alone. Teamwork makes the dream work. There are too many advantages to working with others for you to continue working alone. Allow other experts to give you feedback on some of your ideas. I am not advocating that you are sharing any and all things with strange people that you don’t know. Absolutely not; develop a team, those that support you, those that share similar or the same values and or beliefs and most importantly those that you can trust. This doesn’t have to be a contracted partnership or agreement just you accepting feedback and or other perspective on some of your work in order to make things better. Two head are always better than one. In a team everyone doesn’t always have to agree or think the same in fact there are many advantages to differences. So select your teams wisely and watch the GROWTH spurt.
The 2nd thing that you should not be doing in 2014 is Stressing.
2. Stressing causes health problems and is very reactive and not proactive. In 2014 we should be proactive because when we are proactive we are contributing to the solution more so than to the problem. Stress is almost interchangeable with worrying. If you are worrying, it’s all in your mind. We must learn in 2014 to turn our worries into action! Okay so here’s the problem, now what can do to solve it? What are some solutions? How do I personally fit in? Do I need help? What did I learn from this scenario? How can this be prevented in the future? Action steps: give yourself a time frame, have someone or something to hold you accountable and chip away at the problem until it’s over. Less Stress and more action in 2014.
The 3rd thing you should not be doing in 2014 is Complaining!
3. Complaining ties into negativity in 2014. We must learn to be positive as much as possible. I am very much aware that not all circumstances are positive however, from all circumstances we can learn. So we must take the good with the bad and focus more on the good. Learn to take your life and the situations in your life and DE-CLUTTER the negativity. Surround yourself with supporters, people that speak life into you and your situations. Negative people are toxic. Be honest with yourselves especially with family members. I’m not saying that your family should be cut off however; you can and must limit the amount of negative you allow in your mind. Not everyone including family is able to support you or understand your goals and dreams. Keep it moving, no blaming others; take responsibility and NO MORE COMPLAINING!
The 4th thing you should not be doing in 2014 is Living an unhealthy lifestyle.
4. There is a wealth of knowledge out here on ways to live better, eat better, and exercise more, but it’s up to you to take advantage of it. The first thing that I suggest is to know you. You know what bad habits you have, what things you need to stop buying or eating or even doing. So be honest and take the necessary step for YOU in order to be successful and live longer. I am a part of a great group of ladies called Black Girls RUN! no racial prejudices intended but African American females suffer from more medical conditions so that is BGR’s target market. The Internet makes its super easy to access any type of info you want. There has been a wave of things happening with those with allergies like gluten for example. I have a friend who has a lot of knowledge in this area as well www.liveandloveglutenfree.com. There is no reason everyone shouldn’t be living a healthy lifestyle in 2014.
The 5th thing you should not be doing in 2014 is Making Excuses.
5. Excuses are worthless! Stop allowing your excuses to be greater than your dreams. Excuses do nothing more than hold you back. In 2014 don’t allow anything to stop your progress. Be secure in your choices and if they don’t go as planned try and try again. This is also when it might be helpful to consult others as well as learn from your mistakes or mishaps. There is never failure in trying only in never making attempt. No more excuse in 2014.
The 6th thing you should not be doing in 2014 Getting Comfortable.
6. Growth always requires some discomfort. I can remember when both my son were between the ages of 8-11 they always complained of issues with their knees. Every time I would take them to the Dr. he would explain that they were growing, and certain parts of the body grow faster than others causing pain. Life is the same way, when you are comfortable there is little to no growth. Complacency is not your friend, although it often times feels good or comfortable. You want to learn to embrace the uncomfortable areas because they tend to be more profitable in all aspects. Stretching yourself is also good but also uncomfortable; however, when you are stretched you accomplish more. So get used to being uncomfortable in 2014 and get ready for some awesome growth.
The 7th thing that you should not be doing in 2014 is Being Tardy.
7. To be late or tardy is rude. It often times means that you don’t respect the other individuals time. Time Management is not always easy however; it is something that when practiced or exercised it becomes better. Stop being late to meetings, church, and or work; learn to respect the time of those around you and demand that they respect yours. I do understand that there are always exceptions, but be careful that the exception doesn’t become the rule. In the event that you are late apologize and keep it moving. Remember no one want to hear excuses because every body’s got one. See one of my earlier blogs on effective ways to manage your time better.
The 8th and final thing that you should not be doing in 2014 is Being Selfish.
8. Give, Give, and Give some more! There is a Christian Bible verse that I live by; give and it shall be given unto you. There is plenty to go around don’t keep it all to yourself. Share your knowledge, share your wisdom, share your time, and yes even share your money. There is something about giving that sometime is just unexplainable. Volunteerism is very important to the community. Take some time to give back to others. Don’t live your life feeling that it is necessary to hoard all of your ideas. Selfish people live miserable lives, they live in fear that someone will take what they have. Often times they end up alone and terrified. So share yourself in 2014 and watch how much you gain.
Angela Pride, founder of Coach With Pride is recognized for her ability to meet her clients where they are; take them out of their comfort zone and move them to their NEXT level of success. Angela works with small businesses and their teams on Leadership Development. This article was first published at Black Life Coaches. Follow Angela Pride on Twitter @CoachPride.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
