A Bizarre 2020: The Good and The Bad

We prepare to close the books on what has been a most bizarre year. For most of us, probably the most bizarre year of our lives! For me, this seems a good time to reflect on 2020, and think about how to get 2021 off to the best possible start.

One of the best ways to improve results is to plan better. There's more on that at the end of this message. Here, I will recommend primarily that you examine your personal habits. Make a conscious decision to develop more good ones and improve on those you have. You probably also have some habits that don't serve you well. Decide to eliminate them!

This week I started this message by recommending a book that can be a great help in building new habits and ending the ones that aren't serving you well. I'll discuss that book in more detail next week. Here's the link to its listing on Amazon.

Meanwhile, I want to take this week to remind us all of the value of reflection and planning to improve.

Whenever we're faced with a challenge, it's helpful to look for the benefits that come with it. As Napoleon Hill reminded us, within every adversity, there's the seed of equal or greater opportunity. So look for that seed! Figure out how to make lemonade when lemons are delivered, even if by the truckload.

Let's look at the particular example of COVID-19:

• Can you find a way to react that improves your relative market position?

• Was there an improvement that was in the back of your mind, and this has stimulated you to make it?

• Have you been able to reduce costs with fewer in-person meetings, internally and with prospects/clients?

• Will you be able to reduce office space as you continue with remote work for many?

• Are your employees enjoying less commuting time and expense? Do you help them see and appreciate that benefit?

Of course no review would be complete without also reviewing the challenges we faced. While we're looking at those, let's also think about how, and how well, we met those challenges.

What happens is a fact. Remember that each of us are responsible. We are responsible for recognizing the full truth of what happened. Responsible for how we react to it. And responsible for the outcome of the situation.

With that preface, how did you respond to:

• The news of the COVID-19 pandemic?

• The quarantine and shelter-in-place mandates?

• Whatever disruption to your business resulted from all this?

• The disruptions to your personal and family life?

• The difficulty of travel?

• Any other challenges you personally faced as a result, or not, of COVID-19?