Finish the Year Strong

This time next week will be a new year. Seems like just a few weeks ago that we were finishing 2021 – my how time flies!

At LHLN, we have had a strong year of growing our class reach, expanding our instructor group, developing new programs, and it doesn't stop there! We have an even bigger growth opportunity for our students that will be unveiled next week, so stay tuned!

Although it is the end of one year, and a time when many of us take time off from work to spend time with friends and family, I want to talk about the importance of finishing strong. When you finish strong, it creates so many positive things within you as a person and a leader. When we think of the phrase "finish strong", we think of how it creates a powerful attitude of achievement whether it be life, work, sports, or personal accomplishment. Winners in any competition understand the importance of doing just this. One division 1 football coach that I admire and follow is Dabo Sweeney. During every 4^th quarter, he reminds his players, coaches and fans that the game has 4 quarters – not a 1, 2, or 3, but 4 full quarters. He does this to reinforce to the team the importance of finishing strong.

During this week of the year, it is really easy and comfortable to just leave things until next year. Many of us will justify that we’ve had a strong year, we’ve accomplished so much and that it’s ok to leave that one or two things until next week – next year. There are many problems with this mentality from rewarding procrastination to slowing momentum or any other positive element in between.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” It’s true! The hardest thing to do is to push oneself out of their comfort zone! None of us want to do it. We much prefer taking the easier path or the one with least resistance.

My call to you this week is to finish 2022 strong! In doing so, you will benefit from so many positive things! First, you will grow your self-confidence through the personal satisfaction that comes with finishing the goals you have for the year! Second, you increase your productivity. You know how when you take a week off and truly do nothing? You often come back more tired than if you had “worked” on a home project while taking several days off! Don’t get me wrong, resting has its positive side, but when you are trying to finish strong, taking this week off when you know there are things that need to be finished stifle your productivity and momentum! Don’t let that happen! Instead dive into those things that you know you can finish up this week and finish well! It creates momentum which is defined as the strength of force gained by motion or by a series of events. While we think of momentum in a physics point of view, in this context I want you to think of the simple series of events you can accomplish this week to create momentum to carry you into the new year and allow you to finish strong.

Ultimately, finishing the year strong comes from within. It is an intrinsic motivation within your personal character than enables you to look inside and at the goals you set for this year and ask yourself, “What can I finish this year, this week, that will create momentum for me in the new year?” Realistically, this doesn’t mean you are going to lose 25 pounds this week, or finish a large project at work, but it does mean that you can set the daily habits that will help you start the new year focused on the things that will enable you to lose weight or finish a big project. I actually enjoy working this week because of how quiet it typically is. It enables me the quiet time to finish those things that require focus and attention. It’s a great week to look at your year-to-date results and determine how effective you have been and what you can adjust to create more consistency and intensity of your efforts.

So, as we reach the midpoint of this last week of 2022, consider how you will finish strong. Inspire yourself to look at what can be accomplished this week to finish your year on a positive note. Take this usually quieter week to concentrate and focus on those activities that will create the most momentum as you charge toward a new year.

Time is finite and precious. It is not to be wasted. Every day counts and every task you complete counts, so make the most of this week and finish the year strong! You will be proud of yourself for doing so!

Happy New Year!

- Dean