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By Dr. Marie Gould Harper
Program Director, Management, American Public University
At the end of last month, I had the pleasure of listening to a lecture by Laurie Idahosa.
Sharing some of her personal experiences, she challenged us to go into 2019 with a vengeance and a taste for victory. She told the audience that next year should be the year that you see your dreams manifest in areas such as career, family, finances and education.
Idahosa’s Key Points for Reaching Your Goals in 2019
Her messages were powerful and motivating. Below are some of her key points and my thoughts on them:
You must lead yourself. You are your own moral compass, and you have to be proactive by going forth. You are not equipped to lead others until you can lead yourself. It is essential that you become self-governed and self-fueled.
Like a car, we need indicators to know when we need fuel. Make it a habit of waking up each morning with a vision and a plan. Spend your mornings on your physical and emotional health instead of entertainment. Do yoga, meditate or set your course for the day.
The key is to spend time in the morning reflecting on what the activities of your day should be. We waste too much time looking for instant gratification and reacting to events as they occur, rather than spending quality time seeking guidance on how to make our plans work.
You need to know where you are going. Once you have the vision, examine your life. Make sure it has structure.
The world will move for you when you have structure and direction. Next year is not the year to keep going in circles in your personal and professional life.
Stop looking for sympathy. Sometimes, we enjoy wallowing in our own self-pity or seek out people to “pep us up,” especially when we feel life gave us a raw deal.
If too many people tell you that they are sorry for your situation, you will start to believe it. Come out of your comfort zone by determining your goals and start acting on them. Exercise your faith and make a move to realize your vision.
You need to find people who can help you (Destiny Helpers). Make sure they are the “right” people to help you — individuals who have insight and experience in where you want to go.
It helps to see someone living the life to which you aspire. But we can’t make our dreams happen on our own.
Let your destiny helpers guide you in 2019. Develop a network that will encourage and strengthen you.
Be decisive. Sometimes, we make ourselves believe that if we don’t make a decision, we can remain safe in our current state. However, that is seldom the case because life goes on in spite of you.
When life throws us a question, there are two clear responses: Yes or No. It’s that simple, but we tend to make things complicated by being indecisive and lukewarm about our choices. Make up your mind and stick to it.
Grow in knowledge in the area of your dream. Develop good judgment and common sense. Seek out the knowledge for where you want to go.
Remember, don’t let yourself stand in the way of the goals you want to achieve. Let 2019 be the year when you finally celebrate those achievements.
Don’t be paralyzed by a fear of success. You deserve a victory. Work hard for it!
About the Author
Dr. Marie Gould Harper is the Program Director of Management at American Public University. She holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Wellesley College, a master’s degree in instructional systems from Pennsylvania State University and a doctorate in business from Capella University. She is a progressive coach, facilitator, writer, strategist and human resources/organizational development professional with more than 30 years of leadership, project management, and administrative experience. Dr. Gould Harper has worked in both corporate and academic environments.
Dr. Gould Harper is an innovative thinker and influential leader, manifesting people skills, a systematic approach to problems, organizational vision and ability to inspire followers. She is committed to continuous improvement in organizational effectiveness and human capital development, customer service and the development of future leaders.
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