Tom Cuthbert

Commit to Win ‘21

So many words describe 2020, unprecedented, hellacious, tragic, painful and exhausting.

For most of us, reflecting on 2020 brings thoughts of sadness and struggle.  It was a year of challenge and change, both personally and professionally.  I hope you took time to reflect and learn from the year behind us, as we’ve turned the corner and gone full speed into 2021.  

If 2020 taught us anything it was the importance of time, family and freedom.  I used to believe there was a “business life” and a “personal life”.  Now I know, there is just “life”.  So how do we win at life in 2021?  How do we find the intersection of optimism and opportunity to make 2021 a year of growth, success and triumph?

I’ve identified five areas of life and business to focus on in order to to win the year ahead;

It Starts with YOU:  Health and wellness was at the forefront of our lives last year.  As a leader in your family, community and business, you are being watched.  Model a healthy life physically, emotionally and spiritually.  Take time for you, not out of selfishness, but from a place of love for others and a commitment to be a better leader.  When we are not at our best, we cannot be the person those we are leading need us to be.

Key question:  Who do I need to be for the people around me?

Plan to Plan:  Ben Franklin famously said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  Setting aside time to reflect, plan and set goals will help us achieve more in the coming year.  Last year, we were all hit by an unexpected pandemic.  No one saw this coming.  How do we plan for uncertainty?  

We plan for uncertainty the same way we plan for everything else, with contingencies.  A good leader will consider three to five scenarios for a business.  They will have peers around them to help make solid decisions based on experience, facts and gut feeling.  The leader will look ahead, beyond the next week or year to build a path toward success.  Schedule time to plan in the same way you schedule meetings.  Keep your commitments visible to yourself and others.

Key question:  How do I plan to keep goals visible and achieve more?

Grow Beyond the Box:  We tend to live our lives in a box, meaning our own small world.  Learning new things, experiencing challenging situations and opening ourselves to  new possibilities are building blocks to a better version of ourselves.  The cornerstone of this activity is reading and learning.  How many books will you read this year?  How much time have you spent reflecting?  What will you change in the new year?

Growing beyond the box takes effort.  It is a curious life where each day brings new inspiration and ideas.  It includes seeking out solutions to problems before they appear and staying ahead of the market and your competition.  So much change happened in 2021, so many companies found new growth, revenue streams and opportunities.  The best opportunities come in the 18 months following a down turn.  Are you ready?

Key question:  What are you not seeing that you should be seeing?

Know Your Enemy:  

We all have enemies, some known and some unknown.  Following a year like 2020, many of the enemies we face may be hiding in the darkness.  These could include negative attributes like mediocrity, greed, laziness, failure, and comfort.  They could also include positive attributes such as success, record sales and accelerated growth.  The late Pat Murray said, “success is the second worst thing that can happen to a company.”  Don’t let your success become an enemy.

Reflect on the question, “What gets in the way for me?” as it relates to achieving your goals.  Identify your enemies and take action to win the battles they present.  Get feedback from others about your blindspots and build commitments to change.

Key question:  How do I turn fears and failures into growth and achievement?

Embrace Discomfort:   

Neale Donald Walsch said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”   To a point, we were all pushed out of our comfort zones in 2020.  Some people can’t wait to get back to a place of comfort.  Achieving people will learn from discomfort and seek it out.  It is the place where learning and growth can happen, a place where ideas can spring up and inspiration ignites.

Being comfortable is a sure way to stay where you are.  It is the enemy of creativity, learning and achievement.  Comfort fosters overconfidence and stagnation.  The most dangerous place for any of us to stay is right where we are.  Life is about growth both personally and professionally.  

Key question:  How will you step past your comfort zone to learn and grow?

As we move into 2021, plan your win with equal doses of enthusiasm and reality.  Get out of your box to fight the good fight and embrace discomfort.  And most of all, take care of yourself because without a strong and healthy leader, no team can succeed.  Here’s to a great 2021!

Tom Cuthbert