2022: Re-live or Re-invest ?

As we look into turning the calendars to 2022 it’s time to start thinking about our plans for next year. We have two options: 

  1. Re-live the same year again (nave no plan)

  2. Re-invest everything you’ve learned (plan to make it the best)

Most people choose option #1. They keep living the same year over and over again. They are in the job, making the same income,  complaining about the same things but never taking action to improve their lives.  They continue to make the same mistakes, have the same challenges, and frustrations. Their life looks something like this: 

And for some people this is totally okay. They are happy living within those guardrails of life

Every successful person I know lives option #2. They take everything they’ve learned not only from the past year but from the past decade and invest all of those learnings into the next year. Each year is better than the last. They grow in different aspects of life. Some years they have significant financial growth, other years are stagnant but they grow significantly in their relationships, their families, their health, their mindset and contribution. There life looks something like this:

5 Steps to Re-Invest into the New Year

1) Failures =  Education

For every failure or challenge you’ve had in the past year, instead of asking the question “why did this happen to me?” or “why is life so unfair?”, ask yourself:

What can I learn from this?

There can be a positive outcome from every situation in life if you ask the right questions. A business failure could lead to you clearly defining what you want in your next business which could be a huge success. A health scare could lead you to becoming super fit.

2) Be Uncomfortable

Identify something that you want to do but fear is holding you back. Something outside of your comfort zone. For me in 2021 it was launching my first podcast, Business with Beers. When we are fearful of something we run through all these crazy thoughts in our head like:

  • What if I say something stupid?

  • What if I say “um” too many times?

  • What if nobody listens?

  • What if I’m criticized? 

Yes I was nervous for the first few episodes. Yes I could’ve said “um” or “right” a few less times. As of today I’ve got over 40 episodes recorded, I’m becoming a better interviewer, and creating some awesome new relationships that I wouldn’t have otherwise. 

In 2022 I’m reinvesting all that experience and launching a book and online course on DIY wealth-management for self-made millionaires. I’m going to provide a “system in a box” that accredited investors can use to manage their wealth like it’s a business. If you’re interested in breaking out of the chains of Wall Street and being part of my pilot group please send me an email at [email protected] 

I’ve never written a book or created a course before. Both of these will push me into an uncomfortable zone that will become the new normal, just as podcasting has become. 

3) Find a New Tribe

You become (or stay) the person you are because of your environment. If you are serious about growing you need to surround yourself with like-minded people who are also focused on personal development, building wealth and creating authentic relationships. For me that tribe is GoBundance, but for you it may be something else.  There’s also YPO, Rotary Clubs, Vistage, and Chamber of Commerce which also puts you in the room with other business owners.  

The key is to identify the type of people you want to be around, the type of conversations you want to have and what level of accountability you want to have then search until you find it. You may have to look outside your neighborhood and city to find it. If you choose GoBundance, let them know know I sent you :)

4) Journal Daily

Creating a daily habit of writing down your thoughts, fears, ideas can be a game changer if you’ve never done it before. I started in 2020 and have seen tremendous personal growth and idea creation through journaling. Some of my best ideas were born at 5am with pen & paper. There are hundreds of journals out there, many of them very structured. A simple moleskin notebook like this one does the job for me. 

What do you write about? Start with a summary from the previous day. What were some wins? What were some challenges? What are the goals you’re working towards? The more you do it, the better results you will create.

5) Audiobooks

When you are driving to work each day what do you listen to? The same songs you’ve heard hundreds of times? Mindless talk radio? A friend blabber on the phone? If you’re serious about investing in yourself, use that windshield time to consume audiobooks. Here are some of my favorites from 2021. Some old, some new:

Summary

Which option are you going to choose? Relive the same year again or reinvest everything you learned into making 2022 your best year yet?  Comment below with your plans for 2022.

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