Do This in Q1 to Kick-Start Your Best Year Ever

After an extremely stressful 2020, business leaders and entrepreneurs are hoping the pandemic will end and we can return to a more “normal” business climate. We can hope for the 5.5% global growth predicted this year, but we had better be prepared for anything in a time of “exceptional uncertainty.”

 On a personal level, how are you preparing yourself and your business to stay agile and meet the challenges ahead? While many people try to use the start of a new year as a springboard for change, resolutions and goal-setting often fail when people attempt them without first evaluating their performance from the previous year with questions such as:

● What went well and how can I optimize it?
● Where do I need to improve?
● How can I position myself in the first quarter to fulfill the marks I want to hit in 2021?

A 6-Step MATRIX for Change

The Inner Matrix Method is a powerful synthesis of the art of mindfulness and the science of neurobiology that high achievers use to reach higher levels of performance. Here are some steps you can take now to realign your inner matrix and move you toward your vision of success:

Map: Name where you are now, where you want to go, and key benchmarks along the way. Get clear about your why — the motivating force that keeps you engaged toward fulfilling the outcome. If we know where we're going and the outcome we want to achieve, we can access that feeling of accomplishment to start mapping how to get there. Create your own map based on your vision and the outcome you want to fulfill. This will help you define what your next steps will look like.

Align: Align mentally, emotionally, and physically with what you will create in 2021. Align internally by checking in on what you are thinking in the moment. Are your thoughts occurring to you in a way that is taking you toward or away from the outcome you want to fulfill? If you check in and find you are feeling overwhelmed or anxious, that’s probably not aligned with what you want to achieve. If this is the case, you can try this simple exercise to help you get aligned:

1. Stop. Take two to three minutes and stop whatever you’re doing. Don’t send an email, don’t pick up the phone, don’t watch TV or look at your Facebook. Just stop and get present to how you are feeling. Sometimes it’s helpful to close your eyes to eliminate distractions and focus on what’s occurring inside.
2. Name What You’re Feeling. Ask: “How do I feel? Do I feel agitated or overwhelmed? Do I feel anxious or sad?”
3. Breathe Deeply. Breath three deep, relaxed breaths five to ten seconds in through your nose. Pause and hold the breath, then exhale for five to ten seconds through your mouth. Pause, and repeat the cycle while focusing on relaxing your body.
4. Name What You Want to Achieve. When you feel relaxed, name the outcome you want to create, and what you can do to move toward that result.
   
   

Train: Engage in a consistent practice to train your mind, emotions, and actions to support your vision. Training includes having a plan for where you’re most likely to move out of alignment. So if you tend to think negatively, for instance, you need a plan for managing your thoughts so you stay focused on your vision.

Reinforce: Check in daily or weekly to acknowledge what is going well and how you can you optimize it so it goes even better, or how you can recalibrate something that is preventing you from fulfilling what you want to fulfill. This is more productive than focusing on what is not working, and will reinforce positive thoughts and behaviors.

Integrate: Integrate new actions and ways of thinking into your routine and your daily life. Entrepreneurs and business leaders are great at thinking up great ideas, but if we don't make a plan to integrate them, they won’t happen. Write it down on your calendar, name when it is going to happen, and create a way to train and implement it.

X marks the spot: Make sure that the benchmarks you are focusing on are the ones that actually move you toward your vision. It’s all too easy to get sidetracked and focus on things that don’t necessarily correlate with the outcome you want. Keep checking in to make sure where you put your energy correlates with the result you want to achieve.

The steps outlined above are designed to help you re-inspire, get back in touch with your why, and get excited again. Realigning your inner matrix is the key to success in hitting your Q1 benchmarks, and the outcome you want to achieve this year.

About the Author: Joey Klein is the founder and CEO of Inner Matrix Systems, a personal mastery training system for high achievers. He is the author of "The Inner Matrix: Leveraging the Art & Science of Personal Mastery to Create Real Life Results." He has been interviewed by Self Magazine, INC.com, Yahoo Finance, and NBC. Klein has coached leaders from some of the world’s top companies, including IBM, Coca-Cola, and the World Health Organization. Learn more at www.innermatrixsystems.com and www.JoeyKlein.com.