What Exactly Do You Want?
Anyone else in a committed love/hate relationship with this time of year? With the holidays approaching, there’s a calendar full of activities, excitement and anticipation, and so many expectations to manage. And somehow, in the midst of the hustle and bustle, I’m supposed to serenely reflect on the past 11 months, assemble goals and create a plan for the upcoming year. Sigh, better put on my big girl panties.
A few weeks ago I wondered why, at the end of each year I think something along the lines of: “Whelp, this isn’t really where I thought I’d end up.” Don’t get me wrong, it’s not good or bad, it’s just “meh.” I hit some goals, and missed others. We grew our business, but didn’t have as much success as I’d hoped. I executed thousands of tasks, attended hundreds of meetings, and still made it to my kid’s events. I “did life,” what else was I hoping for? And then it hit me…what was I hoping for? At no point did I ever define exactly where I wanted to end up. There is absolutely no way to get to where I want to go, if I can’t clarify and articulate where that is.
I’ll be honest, I have never been a huge proponent of New Year’s resolutions or dream boards. In my experience, dream boards are pictures of what you hope for, but have no actionable plan to attain. New Year’s Resolutions? Well, if you’re a regular gym member you know January is a hot mess but by February it’ll be back to you and your usual crew. The majority of people clearly agree with me. A recent survey by the University of Scranton found only 8% of adults manage to achieve their goals – that’s a staggering 92% failure rate.
So, what am I doing differently to ensure I end 2025 feeling successful and among the 8% of people achieving their goals? I’m creating a clear, specific definition of success. This started by taking inventory. What areas of my life am I unsatisfied with? Why? Where do I want to see improvement? After making the list, I started asking and answering a slew of questions to gain clarity on each specific area. I did this until I could articulate my definition of success in each of these areas.
I want my business to be more successful
- What does success look like in numbers?
- What lifestyle do I want my business to support?
- What type of reputation do I want my business to have?
- Who are my ideal agents & what qualities define them?
- What kind of impact do I want my business to have?
- What growth goals do I have?
I want a deeper connection and more intentional relationship with my husband
- What does emotional connection look like?
- What level of support do I envision?
- What balance of togetherness and independence feels right?
- How do I want us to express love and appreciation?
- What role does intimacy play in my vision of a healthy marriage?
- What kind of partnership do I want in terms of responsibilities?
- How do I want to approach conflict resolution?
- How do I want us to invest and grow in our marriage?
Defining my vision of success is just the beginning, but it’s a distinctly different starting point compared to past years. Gaining clarity has opened up new possibilities I hadn’t considered before, and these possibilities have me excited to set goals and begin mapping my path toward this vision.
As you define your own vision for success, I’d love to hear what new possibilities you’ve discovered!
Greta Rottler; COO. Integrator. Co-Owner. Lincoln Select Real Estate Group at Nebraska Realty