There is something inherently optimistic about the start of a new calendar year. The new calendar page makes us feel like we have a new beginning. We can leave the troubles of the old year behind and start fresh with a brand-new blank slate. And 2020 is a year most people are happy to see in their rearview mirror so that feeling is even more exaggerated today.
What if instead of waiting until the last day of the year to turn the page, we thought about every day as a new beginning? What would we do differently if every day was a new start? One of the things we would do differently is we would focus better on our goals, and maybe examine our habits. Instead of some broad far-reaching goal like ‘be a better presenter’, we would start each day with a specific goal, like having a real conversation with someone important to us or taking 5 minutes to prepare for each of our virtual meetings. We could get more specific with a smaller time frame and thus allow us to take many small steps instead of one large leap. This seems to be a better way to accomplish a goal, by breaking it up into easier to accomplish elements rather than large chunks of a mountain to climb.
At Point Taken, we are in the business of getting people to adopt new behaviors around their communication, and we know the slow and steady progress is more sustainable than hoping for a miracle leap. So, we might suggest a new habit to start the year out on the right foot: at the start of each meeting, take a deep breath, smile – and look into the camera lens. The deep breath calms your nervous system, and the smile and the eye contact convey warmth and credibility to your audiences. You will look more confident- and feel that way too.
To really make the most of 2021, try starting each day with a goal – the smaller and more specific the better. As you rack up days in a row of reaching those goals, you will see the bigger picture emerge. And as always, if your goals are regarding your communication skills – yes even virtually – give us a call, we would love to help.
Happy New Year!