DEAR LAST YEAR, THANK YOU: WEEKLY UPDATE 1/3/25

Dear last year, thank you!

The year 2025, a quarter past Y2K and here we are already starting a new year again.  Some will enter with momentum, others with resolve, but fair to say all of us with at least a goal or two in what we’d like to accomplish.

The cool thing about goals is they’re never negative. It doesn’t mean they’re easy, but it does mean we set our sites on something that helps improve ourselves, others, or our community(s). Because our goals are positive in nature…our mindset should follow.  A long way to say I hope for all you’re entering a new year with clarity, optimism, zest, and here are the things last year taught me!

Clear is better than Clever.

We have never had more access to innovation, tools, and "silver bullets". The truth is many of them can work, but few if any work without a lot of consistency, discipline, and eventual mastery over time. Getting clear on strengths and how I/we can authentically connect with others will often lead us to the one or two things we can focus on and get great at. 

Having a personal brand only matters to the extent that having trust matters.

"Personal Brand" has been a big topic, and it's true everyone has one. The challenge; brand isn’t what most people first think of…it's not a logo, color, font, catchy tagline, or viral content. It's how we're known and how we connect. Building a personal brand isn't self-centered, it's service centered. It's not "what can I get from this" it's "what can I give"

Business isn’t hard, all we have to do is what we say we’re going to do. 

People pleasing, keeping up with the “Jones’s”, “adding value”, and not taking the time or utilizing skills to establish expectations challenges all of us. Business becomes significantly difficult when we over-commit, or offer too many guarantees. Yes, sometimes we should and do need to go above and beyond, but mostly we just need be smart with what we commit to and be great at doing what we say we’re going to do. 

Trust is our most valuable currency.

It’s universal, it’s hard to get, when you give it and get it…it’s perpetually rewarding. Focusing solely on the immediate result/success may offer a positive bump to the bank account, but little if anything more beyond that. A long term outlook toward meaningful and life-long trust creates immeasurable benefits…positive relationships, experiences, new introductions and insights, and every once in a while may hit a bank account.

I don’t know if I’m right but I’m sure I’m not wrong.

I could see it, feel it, and was dreading it all at the same time. I knew it was time to make a big change…leave a company, people, and investments that I spent 7+ years with. I didn’t really want to do this because I know there’s always a price (comfort, time, money, and even relationships) to change. However I wasn’t growing or getting better…which means my value to others personally and professionally wasn’t growing. Let’s be honest, who wants to work with or be led by someone not invested in getting better (for themselves and others). Knowing a change had to be made I assessed our needs and met with all the options (many of them very impressive). After going through this process…I hesitated “what if I’m wrong?” I came to the realization that I couldn’t be sure if I was right but I was sure making a change wasn’t wrong. Six months later…I can confidently say it was right!

2024 offered awesome results, new friendships, and some great lessons. For that I am grateful! 

Wishing you all a blessed, safe, and prosperous New Year!

Steve