Spring Day!? Already?

How did that even happen?  I find myself quite conflicted when it come to the concept of ‘time’ in 2020.  In some respects, it feels like it’s one big blur and time has really flown by – other times it seems to be really drawn out and dragging on.

Irrespective of how I look at it, the year of ‘20Plenty’ has not quite turned out to plan.  The overwhelming change that we’ve all been confronted with has changed the world in many respects – forever.  That’s however all in the past.  We had little control of it, and we can never change that.  So what can we control?  Where do we go from here?

Well for me, Spring is always an interesting time.  There’s an excitement in the air.  As the weather warms and the flowers start to bloom, so too does our outlook on life.  The newness of the growth season births with it a sense of possibility.  That sense of possibility seems to extend into our lives, our relationships, our business and even our finances.  It is as if we have been given a second opportunity at our goals, a retake of our long forgotten New Year’s Resolutions and a small window of opportunity to make things right.  Emphasis is on the ‘small’ window.

Before we know it there will be Christmas decorations in store, countdowns to the year-end and a mad rush to get the year closed off before Summer holidays start.  In fact, I’ve already been shocked into a reality check with countdowns to Christmas – weeks ago!  So before the Spring window disappears, or the year-end horror takes hold, let’s first get some perspective.  We still have a full four months left of 2020.  Only two thirds have gone and a full third of the year still awaits.  If you’re in business, you’ve still got half a year left to go before financial year-end on the 28th of February 2021.  Now is the time to focus, to hustle, to make up lost time and to grab the sense of possibility around Spring and make it happen.

To help you I thought I’d share two things that have really helped me.  The first was a Tedx Talk by Jocko Willink on Extreme Ownership.  It helped me realize what my part is in my current reality. Whilst uncomfortable, it also forced me to realize that only I can bring about the change necessary.  I have to take ‘Extreme Ownership’ and I need to design and execute on a better life and business.

The second was from Marshall Goldsmith who spoke at our recent ActionCOACH ‘Virtual’ Global Conference.  He shared six questions with us that were really profound for me.  They were:

1. Did I do my best to set clear goals?
2. Did I do my best to make progress towards achieving those goals?
3. Did I do my best to find and create meaning?
4. Did I do my best to be happy?
5. Did I do my best to build positive relationships?
6. Did I do my best to be fully engaged?

Talk about a sucker punch!  Did I do my BEST? Marshall Goldsmith suggested asking yourself these questions weekly and then giving yourself a score out of ten on each.  Based on the week’s score, make the necessary adjustments for the following week.  Again, quite uncomfortable but so empowering.  Another fantastic opportunity for me to take Extreme Ownership.

As I focus on the remaining third of 2020, as well as the second half of my business’s financial year, I will be taking Extreme Ownership and regularly asking myself those six profound questions.  I know that for everything to change; I need to change.  I encourage you to do the same.

Harry Welby-Cooke, Country Partner for ActionCOACH Southern Africa