Welcome to the 1st January 2022! by Nick Roud

That’s right you read it correctly, I am not going mad. I haven’t forgotten about 2021………..ride with me on this team…..

It’s the 1st of January 2022 and you are waking up following a wonderful evening with friends, family and loved ones and again we look at ourselves and think god that year went quick……sound familiar?

I am quite confident that as we grow older things seem to go that bit quicker………what do you think? 

With this in mind our blog today focuses on achievement (small, big or out of this world)

Each year many of us set sights and aspirations for the year ahead. To me this work begins in December I call it my ‘Round Pegs / Square Hole Goals’. For me it involves pen & paper and space to think, this year I have changed things up a bit and put a heavy weight into a few key things rather than a longer (check-list style approach) which is what I have done for many years. Fundamentally my aim is the same – to spend some time with thoughts, ideas and aspirations for the coming year and commit to them.

For any of us who reach the end of the year and think I have not achieved what I wanted to do this year then this blog will be of interest to you.

One way to help you get started if you are struggling is to review your past year and answer yourself the following questions

1. What had I wanted to achieve

2. What held me back

3. What where some of the good things that happened (what did I really celebrate)

4. What things will I not repeat?

Try and think about the areas you want growth in – how are you going to get their. Who are the people who can support that and help you?

Sometimes when I get stuck or I have kids that need my full attention for a game of hide and seek or I am just not in the right mood to do this important work, I block out 2 hours early in the morning before the house wakes up and grab a coffee and head to the global head office aka the 20ft shipping container. Here I turn of all distractions and just get to work. It may take me multiple attempts but over a week or so I will get very clear on my commitments to the next year.

It’s important to note here that I am not trying to get into all the detail – think about building a house you start with maybe a picture board of things / ideas etc then you move into the technical drawings then onto the build……….just keep it simple very simple at this stage.

For me last week was my ahahahahahah moment and I am really excited about 2021 I hope you are to and I hope this blog inspires you to make a start before Xmas on your intent.

It is all to easy for one year to roll into the next year and before we know it where did those 5 years go. This is a big year in our household as Louie our eldest son turns 5 and in Feb he will be heading off to school…….where did those 5 years go………

When I was putting thoughts into 2021 I wanted to read over all my previous journal books and to see some of the things I had wanted to personally and professionally achieve, some of these are an ongoing work in progress and others I am proud to have achieved. It would be great for you when thinking about your 2021 not to be afraid to look back and see if any of your previous plans could take place next year! Here are a couple from me’;

• Be the best dad I can be (never ending)

• Be a considered husband & partner to Nicola (need to check with Nic on that)

• Help those who want to be helped (never ending quest – part of my purpose)

• Teach Louie how to ride his bike (stocked he can do this – next thing he will want the car keys…….)

• Swim in the sea with Willow every day (well not in winter….)

• Get certified as an executive coach (so proud)

• Ultraman (Hawaii – just do it – get knee fixed……)

• Don’t be afraid to say No (stick to my rules and my purpose)

• Stop Drinking (sober since May 2020)

• Share and be open about my thoughts good or bad (take your own medicine here Nick)

• Keep business small but perfectly formed (scale is not for me)

• Share insights and wisdom (keep learning keep progressing keep the focus)

• Take time (work in progress)

To me journaling each day has become a very healthy habit and this is what I try to stick to, 3 good things and 1 not so good thing. That is usually the theme, sometimes I write down how I am feeling and think about what might have triggered that. These journals are not fixed in concrete, but I notice if I am not sticking to doing these. I also feel getting comfortable and clear about your purpose/vision will make all the difference, part of my coaching work with leaders and professionals we spend time on this work.

Journalling is now a habit and has grown from simply a small notebook to me purchasing high quality moleskin books that get filled up very quickly. I love to encourage you to think about doing this for yourself (the journalling bit). Maybe this is a goal of yours for 2021.

As someone who has consistently journaled for years, I really believe it enables two things,

1. clarity

2. progress. 

So why the title of today’s blog?

Each year around this time I get a number of calls and messages from potential clients who want to meet and discuss coaching with me. In January 2021 we have 15 new clients who are starting to work with me they have been given or bought a Roud Career Coaching Gift Voucher and I cannot wait to see how together we can end 2021 with their thoughts are realised.  I know from my initial conversations to arrange times there are some very cool things that clients will want to achieve……….

This is why I wanted to put the question out to you today, welcome to 1st January 2022 – but what I didn’t say in the title was……….how do you feel you went in 2021 lets do your report!

Part of my coaching work is with high potential / high achieving / future leaders and in my initial ‘get to know you’ session we go through some deep and meaningful question – when I am looking over the responses, I’d say a very high group of them fall into the space of ‘high potential to high performance – they are clear – they are focused and they are wanting to see the next level whilst making sure all the building blocks are in place for them to be successful.

to move from high potential to high performance you have to be extremely clear.

This is an example of what many high potential but low performing people do.

Who has heard about the Gym Promise? 

They sign up for a new gym membership in January – rush out to buy the latest trainers, gym gear, download the latest app, buy the best watch, don’t have a reason or goal in mind but think this will be the magic potion.

For the average person he/she will skip out of bed every 2nd day head to the gym only to put on some music, read a book, stroll around looking at the mirror, chat to everyone around and then head back home thinking that went well (I went to the gym…….). Sure they are ‘going’ to the gym but what are they actually achieving how are they actually getting closer to their goal? 

To the average person this will last for about 2 months and then they will stop going altogether, but why…….oh, the novelty has worn off – not enjoying the early starts – not noticing an instant change – to much effort.

The list of excuses starts to out way the initial reason why you joined the gym in the first place and that experience has left a lasting taste in your mouth not to be repeated again (well not till the next January)………we know this happens, speak to any fitness guru and you will hear the same story.  

For those who take a different approach the real high performers this is typically what they do.

I am going to join the gym because I want to…………………(fill in the blank) and then they take that note and put it somewhere they will see it every single day. The elite high performers don’t need a note on the wall they have it inside them to just commit to it each and every single day (think about that for the moment and think about your situation right now) where are you at with your thoughts and ideas for 2021????

Those high performing or the very small group of elite high performers who commit to going to the gym initially 2 times a week and then in 3 months increase that to 3 times a week and then in 6 months 4 times a week. They do not need to rush out and buy all the latest and greatest things they just chuck on an old pair of (clean trainers) grab some shorts and a top and just do it. Those are the ones who will see a change, those are the ones who will reach their initial intent and those amongst us are the ones who do achieve great things in business, life and in sports. This is what needs to take place over time to see a change and to get the results you deserve. 

To many of you who know me I am not a person for the gym – I need the fresh air the sea and the trials. I am committed to doing another long distant endurance event but first in January I need to have another knee operation #7 lets please get it right………….

Once that has been done, I have noted down my 2021 goals (health-goals) and the key specific things that need to happen for me to achieve my (thing)

• Healthy eating prior to operation

• Operation       

• Rest

• Rehab 

• 6 weeks on crutches

• Physio (weekly booked in)

• Start Walking

• Progress to Spinning on the bike or aqua – jogging

• Progress to Walk-run

• Keep weight down etc……..

So, you can see in this small example above we have a goal in mind and have broken it down to the steps that need to happen for me to realise it. Keep it simple clear and to the point.  

What are some key things you want to achieve or do in 2021. When you wake up on 1st January 2022 how are you going to feel?  

It could be things like, 

·      Change jobs

·      Get a promotion

·      Earn more money

·      Start a business

·      Have a holiday with family or friends

·      Work out what I am good in and what 

·      (join a gym…..:) 

·      Learn a new skill

·      Work less hours

·      Join a club 

·      Raise money for a charity

·      Run a marathon 

·      Less social media more reading

·      Learn to fly a plan

·      Stop drinking / eat healthy foods 3 times a week

·      Become a mentor 

·      Get a qualification 

·      Learn an instrument 

·      Take on a new board role (paid or not paid)

These are all ‘Your life and Your goals’ the point of today’s blog is to help you and get you started on achieving these be them Small Large or Massive.

Every day we hear so much from others saying I am doing this, or I am doing that……which is great but I can only advise you to please try to focus on you and what you want to do not what others are saying or doing. Live your life and keep doing you…….

If this is reading this and you have never done anything like this before in your life then I’d encourage you to start small and build from their find someone who will challenge you and hold you to account (try to avoid a loved one as they sometimes may only tell you what you want to hear!!)  

When things get hard (and let’s be honest they will) don’t chuck things in, don’t be that person who joins the gym only to stop going a few weeks later because its to hard….focus on this question

‘In 2021 I am going to………………………because I want to achieve………………..’

I’d encourage you when working on this to try and keep things very simple and don’t add complicated around it. The more complicated we make it the more obstacles we will find when things get hard.

2021 is going to be a good year, it is going to be full of ups and downs. We are going to have brilliant days and really bad days but as we wrap up todays blog try to remember we can control only the things that we can control!!

If you are looking for an external sounding board or a coach to work with you in 2021 then give me a call, let’s have a chat and let’s see if my style and approach will enable you to achieve on your thoughts. 

Thanks for taking the time to read today’s blog, I hope it has sparked a thought which will spark something in you to really make the very most out of 2021.

Look after yourself and each other

Nick x

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About Nick Roud – Roud Career Coaching

Nick is a husband and father to Louie & Willow. He is hired by leaders and professionals that want to get results through coaching.

Roud Career Coaching was awarded ‘Best Executive Coaching Consultancy – New Zealand’ at the 2020 Asia Pacific Business Awards

• Nick is #3 Executive Coach in the world on Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaching. Accredited globally by The ICF (International Coach Federation) as the premier leadership program.

• He is a coach at one of the most prestigious universities in New Zealand on the Executive MBA program.

• Since establishing Roud Career Coaching in 2016 Nick has personally coached over 695 professionals.

• Nick has been working with leaders & professionals since 2006.

• Auckland’s North Shore, New Zealand is where his global head office is a 20ft shipping container and from here he works with people all over the world