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NOTE: I also did an audio training podcast of this blog post, which you can access above.
Your 2019 Mid Year Check In
We were coming back on a 12 hour flight from Europe and I was doing some thinking, reflecting and planning —and that’s when it hit me:
We’re already 50% done with 2019.
I couldn’t believe it —and that’s precisely then I booked an appointment with myself for 3 hours titled 2019 Mid Year Check In.
(Creative, right? I need to work on that.)
And you can and should do the same: because with 50% of the year done, it’s time to re-evaluate.
Remember: if you don’t pause and take a moment to reflect on your biggest wins, challenges, the big audacious goals from the start of the year while taking inventory —you’re going to wake up in December wondering what happened to the year.
For most people, they don’t even remember their big targets from the start of the year: tripling their revenue, finally quitting their job, cultivating the relationship of their dreams, etc. Because of this, they’re unwilling to pause and reflect. Usually, because they feel guilt over not moving forward and don’t need the reminder.
In this blog post, I’ll help you through the process of creating your own 2019 Mid Year Check In —so you can finish the year with clarity, growth and endless momentum.
Are you ready?
Step 1: Identifying Your Biggest Win(s)
On the path of ambition and growth, we rarely spend time reflecting on what has gone right.
The first step for your 2019 Mid Year Check In is to identify your biggest win to date and own it with everything you’ve got.
This is not a time to play small or minimize the success you’ve chosen. Whatever this was for you and in any area of your life —I want you to deeply and authentically celebrate yourself.
Once you’ve identified the biggest win, challenge yourself to find at least 10 others during the first half of 2019. It’s not about the size or scope of them, it’s about what they mean to you. All change and growth requires courage —sometimes it’s the small moves that lead to the big ones.
For me personally, the biggest win was writing and formally launching The Leap Of Your Life. It was an intense project and I’m proud of the work. Instead of focusing on how I wanted more book sales, I’m going to own the art of creating and the courage to put my work out there.
I want you to do the same, no matter what your win(s) were.
Step 2: Identifying Your Biggest Challenge
Armed with the energy of your biggest win, it’s time to flip the script and identify the biggest challenge you’ve experienced to date. Often when we experience adversity, we tend to avoid it —instead of seeing it as an opportunity for learning and growth.
Whether you went through relationship issues, an unexpected career change or a launch that didn’t go well: this is the time to identify it and then extract a lesson from it.
For example:
My biggest challenge was I had committed to launching a podcast —and still haven’t released one episode.
The lesson I learned is not to get caught up in the logistics and overcomplicating the process. Instead, I need to commit to recording my first 10 episodes.
Another example:
My biggest challenge was falling off my morning routine after the first couple months. I started strong, but then faded —and then I started to feel guilty and beat myself up.
The lesson I learned is that with any habit change there is going to be slip-ups and times where things go haywire —but tomorrow is a new day. The following week is a new chance to get right back on track.
Hopefully, you see the power in taking your challenge out of your head and putting it onto paper while extracting a lesson.
Because when you do this, you supercharge your growth and learning while re-wiring your mind to see the positive in the challenge.
To finish, you’re going to ask yourself a simple question:
Knowing what you know now —what are you committed to changing for the rest of 2019 in regards to your biggest challenge?
Now that you’ve identified your biggest win and challenge, it’s time to take inventory.
Step 3: Taking Non-Emotional Inventory
We have over 50,000 thoughts every single day.
We check email over 88 times every work day.
We’re in an endless barrage of stimulus and noise.
The next step in your 2019 Mid Year Check In is to push the pause button on life and take non-emotional inventory. As it sounds —you’re going to separate your emotions with your current life circumstances.
Specifically, you’re going to sit down and see where you find yourself in the following areas of life:
Healthy & Vitality.
This includes your daily energy, vitality and progress with how you look, feel and perform.
Business & Income.
This includes your career growth, promotion(s), sales and revenue and creative endeavors.
Relationships & Social.
This includes your closest relationships, family, kids, social circle and virtual communities.
Spiritual & Purpose.
This includes your deeper connection with life’s meaning, your purpose and spiritual path.
The best way to do this is to simply list 3 or 4 bullet points for each —making them as specific as you can.
For example, in business and income:
• Revenue to date is $85,000
• Launched a brand new course.
• Invested in my first team member.
• Feeling lost in regards to marketing.
The bullet points are a way to achieve clarity and get a real pulse on where you are today. In the above, there are metrics, markers and also identifying a challenge. When I do this, I try to write the bullets in a way that a stranger could get a clear picture of where I’m at in every part of life.
Step 4: Crafting Your Targets For 2019
Now, you’re going to fast forward 6 months by asking a simple question:
What must happen by December 31, 2019 for you to feel this year was a massive success?
Again, this is when you create the space to formulate a vision for the rest of the year. Keep it specific, simple and tangible —with goal setting, too many people are trying to do too much. Limit yourself to 3 big targets or what I call in The 1% Rule big rocks.
For example:
• I’d need to launch and sell a new program.
• I’d need to take the vacation with my partner.
• I’d need to complete a morning routine 5 days a week.
Remember: you can accomplish an entire year’s worth of results in the next 6 months. In fact, if you do it right: you can create a few year’s worth of results if you’re clear, focused and disciplined towards your ambitions.
Step 5: Plan Your Quarterly Targets
Take a moment to reflect back on Step 4 and ensure the targets are exciting, motivating and bold enough for you. This is not about some unrealistic, impossible dream: it’s about choosing 3 big targets that would really make you look back proudly at 2019.
With these in hand, it’s time to reverse engineer them and break them down into targets for the next quarter. Q3 is July, August and September —so ask yourself:
Based on Step 4, where would I need to be by the end of September?
Then, fill in the blanks by being as specific as you can.
Here’s an example using the targets above:
• I’d need to launch and sell a new program.
Q3 Target: By September, I’d need to have all assets ready for launch and start marketing.
• I’d need to take the vacation with my partner.
Q3 Target: By September, the trip will be booked, paid for and blocked off the schedule.
• I’d need to complete a morning routine 5 days a week.
Q3 Target: By September, I’d be on track with 5 days a week using a habit tracking app on my smartphone.
If the above seems simple —that’s a great thing. With goal setting, most people overcomplicate the process, have zero clarity and then use it as an excuse to not move forward. These targets are now to be reviewed every single morning as your morning ritual.
Step 6: Schedule Your Learning & Fun
We’re almost done with your 2019 Mid Year Check In —and now it’s time to strategically schedule in your learning and fun. The reason we do this is because what doesn’t get scheduled in advance, won’t get done.
And two of the most important things to schedule in advance are your personal learning —including skill acquisition, growth, seminars, masterminds, events, etc and your fun time: time off, hobbies, fun events and more.
For learning —review your targets above and ask yourself:
• What is the one skill I can sharpen during the rest of 2019 that will amplify my value in the marketplace?
For example: copywriting, podcasting, speaking, video, digital marketing, email copywriting, management, training and coaching, etc.
• What is the one event or seminar that is aligned with my targets and ambitions that will put me in the right mindset and momentum?
For example: live events, masterminds, programs, training, networking opportunities, incubators, etc.
• What is the one course, program or book(s) I need to invest my time, energy, money and attention into to act as a catalyst towards my targets?
For example: digital courses, study material, online programs and learning, books, etc.
Don’t underestimate how crucial this is: leaders are learners —not dabblers. They are specific and don’t leave space for guesswork.
When I review the rest of my 2019, I see I’m going to two workshops, one big event —have 20 books I’m committed to reading and two core skills I’m working on. I want you to do the same, although keep it simple.
Then, you’re going do to the same for your fun time. This can include a vacation, weekend trips, adventure, hobbies and “you” time.
For example, here are some of mine for the rest of 2019:
• I’m going to get my mountain bike repaired and hit the trails at least once a week.
• I will plan to visit at least 2 places sights in Arizona with local road trips.
• I’m committed to 3 brand new hikes on mountains I’ve never been on.
Again: the more specific you can get here, the higher chance you’re going to execute and follow through.
Step 7: Review & Execute Your 2019 Mid Year Check In
Remember: if you complete your 2019 Mid Year Check In —you will be part of a tiny percentage of people who are committed to their goals and ambitions.
Because countless people say they want incredible results, but will never take the time to go through the 6 steps detailed above.
The above should take you anywhere from 45 minutes to a couple hours at most. What I do is rent a conference room out at my local co-working space, book an appointment with myself on the calendar and have at it.
2019 Is Still Yours. Own It.
There you have it: a step by step process to reflect on where you’ve come from in 2019 and where you’re headed.
Because even if this year has been challenging, hard and full of adversity —you still create one year’s worth of results in the next 6 months.
The question then, becomes:
Will you?
I’d love to see it happen —and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them below and I’ll tackle them.
And while it’s early —it’s up for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
It is not email, social media, or useless tasks that make you “feel” like you’re getting stuff done but are hollow victories. It is not keeping up with everyone else’s agenda or posts. It’s usually the actions you have some resistance towards, because they are meaningful.
The last book on the Top Books of 2019 for entrepreneurs is Ultralearning by Scott Young. I came across Scott’s work after reading Atomic Habits by James Clear in 2018, one of the best books on habit formation and why 90% of goal setting processes don’t work.
