January 2005

To my new subscribers, Welcome to Reach the Top Connects. And to those of you who have responded to my request for comments and experiences, Thank you! You’ve given me some wonderful ideas that I will incorporate in future ezine articles.

This month's People of Interest section is dedicated to and about each one of YOU...

As you move into the New Year, get ready to begin a new career or job, or wherever you are in a life transition, here is a process you can follow to clarify where you’ve been and where you are going.

Step One—look over the past year:

• Make a list of all the wins, successes and breakthroughs in the past year. Look at all areas of your life.
• Make a list of all the losses, disappointments and breakdowns in the past year.
• Ask yourself, “Did I resolve each issue? What do I need to do to be “complete” with each item. Incompleteness holds us back from taking on the next exciting opportunity.

Step Two—looking back over the year, what are the 5-7 lessons you have learned, unequivocally
What lessons do you want to carry over into the New Year. Review and refine this list. Some examples:

• I learned to manage people well
• I learned how to delegate and work collaboratively with my team
• I learned that my mistakes do not mean I am a failure
• I learned to look at my situations from different perspectives.
• I learned to test my assumptions about other people and my situations.

Step Three—have you looked at your value system this year?

• Take some time for yourself to review what is important to you. What are your values in relationship to your work? Your personal life?
• How well are you honoring those values? Where are you NOT honoring your values?
• What does this exercise teach you?

Step Four—Imagine one year ahead

• Write a list of all the wins, successes and breakthroughs for the coming year. What would you like to learn or accomplish by the end of the next year? Write this list as though it has already happened. Make it as long as you choose, and be sure to look at each area of your life.
• Prioritize your list. Look at how each item fits with your values, make plans and set accountability for the next year.

Step Five—Choose a name or image for this coming year
Much like the Chinese tradition that gives names to each year, choose a name for this coming year. Use images or symbols to name what 2005 means to you. What image allows you to step more fully into what you want to be, and are already becoming? Find a name that stretches your imagination and moves you into greater possibility. Some examples:

• Year of the Soaring Eagle
• Year of Being Totally Present (this was mine for 2004 and WOW! Did it open my eyes to new perspectives and new learnings about myself and others in my life)
• Year of Balance
• Year of the Wild Woman (or Man) Set Free
• Year of Advocating for Others
  

“If you continue to climb mountains you will be able to stand above the hills; and you will see the horizon in all directions.” –Deanna Beisser

From Cheryl Richardson’s book, (Chapter 2: Getting your Priorities Straight). How do YOU spend your time? Take time to list your current priorities, beginning with the item that gets the most time and end with the item that gets the least. As you review this list, ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I living a balanced life?
2. What’s missing from this list?
3. If this week were my last week on earth, would I be happy with how I’m spending my time?
4. Are my priorities what I thought they would be?
5. Are these the priorities I most want?
6. How much of my time is spent caring for others?
7. Am I involved in too many activities?
   

To get you started on the new you for the new year, here are a few of my favorite reads:

Deanna Beisser, Is it Time to Make a Change, Positive Thoughts for When Life Presents you with a New Direction. Blue Mountain Press, 1997. ISBN 0-88396-451-1

Bob Buford, Half Time, Changing your Game Plan from Success to Significance, Zondervan Publishing House, 1994. ISBN0-310-21532-3

Alan Cohen, I Had it All the time, Alan Cohen Publications, 1995 ISBN 0-910367-531

Laurie Beth Jones, The Path: Creating your Mission Statement for Work and for Life, Hyperion Press, 1996 ISBN 0-7868-8241-7

Cheryl Richardson, Take Time for Your Life, Broadway Books, 1999. ISBN 0-7679-0207-6

About Donna Billings and Reach the Top. I’ve come to entrepreneurship and full-time coaching and leadership development after many years of trekking through both the worlds of academia and corporate. Formerly Assistant Professor and Director of a Mentoring Program for an MBA program in Pittsburgh PA, I now focus all my energies on coaching women to be more powerful on their own life journeys. I work in partnership with for-profit and non-profit organizations, educational institutions and individuals in life/career transitions. Pittsburgh based and globally established, I can help you develop your leadership talents, increase productivity and performance, enhance team-building skills, or help you through major life/career transitions. All services are customized to meet your individual or company needs.

Why name my coaching practice Reach the Top? We all climb many mountains over the course of our lives—some are physical; some mental; some emotional; some successful; some not so successful. Through coaching and leadership development, I act as the trail guide that will help you reach to powerful heights as you traverse whatever life transition you are now experiencing. Together, we will design an alliance and start where you are right now.

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