“Oh my gosh, Christmas is actually not that far away.” We are now getting close to the fourth quarter. We’re getting close to the fourth quarter of the year. Kids are back in school, people have finished their summer vacations, and while we want to get our brains plugged back in, we don’t think about what’s about to come our way. It is the holiday season.
We’ve got a goals worksheet so it is going to be based on all the things that we’re talking about today so you can take a look at this and say what do I need to focus on? What areas do I need to set goals for?
We’re going to be talking about that today from the aspect of the wheel of life. What things do you need to be doing? What areas do you need to be covering? The physical, the career, the financial goals, the family, the spiritual, the intellectual, all of these things that we need to be focusing on to make sure that we don’t let this quarter throw us off track.
PHYSICAL
LIMIT YOUR SUGAR INTAKE
Make sure that you actually have a plan on how you’re not going to spend everyday shoving a ton of junk in your body. This is the time that everyone crashes. I’m just going to say three little words pumpkin spice latte!
There’s a ton of shopping that’s goes on. Then there’s parties that we go to which are going to have a ton of junk as well. There’s a lot of running around that happens that tends to cause us to stop eating healthy. We really have to think through the things that we’re putting in our body.
Here’s the deal, sugar is in my world legalized cocaine. It is terrible for you! In fact, they’ve done studies where they have taken cocaine addicted rats and given them the option of cocaine or sugar. Guess which one they chose?
The sugar every single time! They have taken scans of your brain when you put sugar in your body. It does the same exact thing. It has the same response as cocaine. The reward receptors in your brain respond, “This is really, really good. Do more of this.”
GET OUTSIDE
The days are getting shorter so we’re going to be spending less time outside. You’ve got to be getting outside even if only for ten minutes a day. Make sure that you do this so that you get some vitamin D in your body thus decreases your chance of getting sick.
EXERCISE
I’m not going to tell you that you need to go ballistic with this. In fact, all I want you to do is think about being active at least 30 minutes a day. you release dopamine and endorphins in your brain. These are the happy drugs. These are the things that you want going on in your brain, not the sugar junk.
These are the things that make you happy; this helps you to have emotional well-being. This supports your brain and your nervous system.
Here are some things that you can do to just be active for 30 minutes. I would love it if you are doing burst training by the way. If you’re doing that, that would be great. That’s probably the best thing you could possibly do. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
If you’re going grocery shopping, carry the groceries out if you can instead of using the cart. If your kids are playing soccer then walk around the field. Climb the bleachers, dance in your kitchen. I don’t care. Do it while you’re making dinner. I may have been known to dance in my kitchen quite often by myself but hey at least I’m doing it and I’m getting some exercise.
GET PLENTY OF SLEEP
Make sure that you have a plan to get some sleep. This is the crazy time of year and unfortunately we keep jacking up our sleep while we’re going to parties, and going shopping late, and doing all this stuff, and drinking coffee late in the afternoon. Make sure that you’re actually getting enough sleep.
Stop your electronics at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. Pick up a book and read, that will help you on your intellectual goals. If you’re reading the word then that will help you on your spiritual goals. But stop, stop all the electronics. Pick something up, read.
CAREER
NEXT-LEVEL THINKING
For me, I am a very growth minded kind of guy. I truly believe that the most successful businesses are growth minded as well. Ask yourself the following questions. Make sure that you’re writing down those steps and What it’s going to take to get there.
ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION
- With the remainder of this year, what is it that would take me to the next level?
- Where do it see myself by the end of the year?
- Are there things that I can do to get myself to the next level?
- Are there things that are holding me back? What are those?
- What are those things that you could be doing right now to enhance, to grow, to push you along?
FINANCIAL
BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET!
Folks, we have a few months left before Christmas destroys your checkbook and you know it’s going to happen if you’ve not been planning. Be sure that you’re budgeting.
Make sure if you’re married, that you’re talking to your spouse about the things to expect. What’s coming up? Look at the remainder of the year and ask yourself the question. What things do we need to save for?
Whatever that is, make sure that you’re putting this in your budget. Make sure that you’re walking through your financial goals and your financial plan so that you don’t get jacked up along the way. Because way too many people do that and unfortunately they jump in the next year and they are already behind.
What things do you need to be budgeting for? What things do you need to plan for? How much money are you going to spend at Christmas? How much money are you going to spend at Thanksgiving when you go see family? Whatever it is, make sure that you’re asking yourself those questions when it comes to budgets.
FAMILY
SCHEDULE YOUR TIME
Now that kids are back to school, what is the balance and structure of your life look like? It gets a little bit more hectic. Make sure that you’re scheduling your time wisely so you’re not missing things or having to run to things or getting frustrated because everything is stacked on top of each other. Make sure that you’re bringing balance and structure for you, for your spouse, and for your kids.
RESET EXPECTATIONS
Make sure that you’re talking with your spouse and finding out what things are happening, what are you going to do, what am I going to do, how do we make sure that everything meshes so everybody is happy.
Remember, when it comes to family, this time of year is crazy commercialized. Make sure that you’re resetting the expectations of your kids. This is a great time for you to be leading them and understanding what’s going on.
Understanding what this time is really about. What each holiday is really about as opposed to all the pumpkin spice lattes and the toy aisles and all that junk. Make sure that you’re spending time resetting expectations of them so that you’re not getting entitled children.
QUALITY TIME
Make sure that you’re spending quality time together. Turn off the TV and the electronics. Have dinners together. Have conversations together. Have them put their cellphones down or put them away so that you can actually have quality conversations and can do things.
What are you going to do? List those things out. Look up a ton of activities that you guys can do together and then put them on the calendar. If you want to have board game nights, then put them on the calendar. You can even think of conversation nights. Things that we want to talk about. List those out. Once a week put them on the calendar but understand that the electronics have got to go away.
EXTENDED FAMILY BOUNDARIES
I want you to think through and process through this time of year. What happens this time of year so that you can think through what healthy boundaries are needed. List them out. If you’ve got the same uncle who treats you like crap at Christmas time or Thanksgiving or if your parents always treat you horribly during that time, think through it. Process through it.
List out what healthy boundaries are needed. What do you need to put in place? If the problem is that you spend too much time at some places well maybe limit your time. Maybe don’t sit there and get beat up for a whole week, instead drop your time down.
Get the accountability if it’s all possible. Get somebody who understands what you’re going through. Find somebody that you can trust, so that you can walk through this season and not be completely stressed out.
Do these things so that you can be happy, so that you can be healthy and so that you can get further along. Don’t allow this end of the year to stress you out. If you will do all of these things it will radically change what is the normal fourth quarter of the year for you, the end of the year.
QUESTION: How are you going to end this year strong?
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Chris. Thanks for this. I needed it this morning. Been on a bit of a downward spiral lately and wasn’t sure how to start climbing again. Feeling a little spark of motivation now.