Sharpen Your Axe

It’s time get back to fighting form to take on the year ahead.

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This is the time of year when people start getting sloppy. You have high hopes for the year ahead, but most people start running out of steam, lose focus, and start compromising on the goals they’ve set for themselves, their careers, or their companies. 

The current climate isn’t an easy one, but I’m seeing clients right now really digging in. I’ve found this particularly fascinating because I see so many other people giving up and settling, and falling into bad habits…while the top performers are diving in deeper. 

With one guy in particular, he’s running a more traditional business on the ground and told me, “I’m locked in right now. I’m cutting my own fat and laying on the gas. I have to recenter and get myself together for our big run this year.”

The “fat” he was talking about cutting wasn’t weight. He realized that he had pulled away from his own fire a bit, his habits had gotten off track, and he noticed the impact on his productivity. He wanted to spend this time refocusing on all the things that made him better, and he knew he needed it. 

I wonder if you need it too.

The habits and principles that allow you to bring your best to the table—and fulfill those goals you had for this year—are probably a lot like his. Habits are built on personal foundations that stay solid and allow you to move with pace. Here are two personal foundational areas to check in and realign, and two afterburner elements to sharpen your axe.