As we head into a brand-new year, many of us are setting goals and making resolutions designed to help us become more productive in our personal and professional lives. I love strategic planning and I enjoy the process of seeing my goals become a reality. Each of us will have our own specific objectives and a plan for accomplishing them. For those of you I have never met, I will be cheering you on from afar! With this being said, I wanted to share 5 strategies that will help you take your game to the next level in 2023. I encourage you to focus on these 5 strategies for the next 90 days. If at the end of 90 days, you are not seeing significant results, I encourage you to abandon these strategies and go back to doing what you were doing before. ***Full disclaimer...In my almost 20 years as a professional coach, I have yet to see anyone who didn't see tremendous results by focusing on these 5 strategies. 

The BIG 5...

• Mindset. Our mindset is the determining factor in how far we will go in life and business. In order to go to the next level, we must possess next level thoughts and habits. In short, what we think about, we bring about. If you desire to change your trajectory, you must change your thoughts. We also must develop next level habits. Questions... Are your current habits supporting your next level growth? Good habits may include exercise, reading, sleep and nutrition. Bad habits may include limited exercise, fast food, television and late hours. One set of habits will help you rise to another level while the other set may put you 6 feet under. Who are you spending your time with? Our 5-7 closest associations have a huge influence on our mindset. If we desire to change our trajectory in a positive way, we will want to start spending our time with positive, growth oriented people. Your mindset matters!

• Grow Your Skills. Next level results require next level skills. What skills do you need to acquire in order to put your name in the hat for a promotion? What skills do you need to develop in order to scale your business? Regardless of your objective, to get from where you are today to where you desire to be at the end of this year, you will need to level up your skills. One of the most effective ways to level up your skills is to hire a coach or find a top-notch industry leader who is willing to mentor you. Because coaches and mentors have blazed the trail before you, they can help you turn decades into days. A good coach will provide you with tips, strategies and guidance that when applied will help you achieve the results you seek.

• Manage Your Distractions. Every successful person I know is masterful at managing their distractions. Distractions pop up everywhere and if not managed, they will cost you big time! One of the most effective ways to manage distractions is to create a "to don't list". A "to don't list" is a comprehensive list of things you will no longer do during your day. Some examples include stopping what you're doing every time a social media alarm goes off, checking and responding to email the moment you receive it, allowing co-workers or family members to crash into your work space at will or feeling the need to check your news apps to make sure the world is still here. It is! These types of distraction's are dream killers and when added up, tend to count for several hours of non-productive time. Run your day, don't let it run you!

• Focus On Building Genuine Relationships. Nothing fills our soul quite like genuine relationships. Far too many of us are engaged in transactional relationships. We enter transactional relationships because of what someone can potentially do for us. Transactional relationships are extremely self serving. Those who know me, know that I encourage people to ditch these types of relationships. They are phony and in the long term they tend to backfire on the people who engage in them. In short, as soon as you can no longer serve me, I will move onto the next person who I perceive can. Genuine relationships are based on a mutual respect and both parties desire to see each other succeed. Focus on building genuine relationships as they will feed your soul for years to come. 

• Take Care Of Your Mind & Body! Our physical and mental health are our two greatest resources. I suggest designing an exercise and nutrition plan that will give you unlimited energy. Most underperformers lack energy! Fill your mind with positive, uplifting, educational content. There are some great podcasts out there and there are countless online courses you can enroll in that will provide you with tools and strategies for next level growth. I enjoy watching TV but I also know the importance of keeping my mind sharp and my knowledge up to date. I read an average of three books a month that are related to my profession and I read a least one nonfiction book. If you desire to go to the next level, you will need next level mental and physical health. Taking care of your mental and physical health is the best investment you will ever make.

I believe these 5 strategies will help you have your best year yet! I would love to hear your ideas on next level success. See you next time!!!

Final Thoughts...

Until Next Time...

John Page Burton is the founder and CEO of The JP Burton Group. John is an internationally recognized leader in the personal-professional development industry who has trained and coached over 1200 clients in 11 different countries. He has written three books and is the creator and chief facilitator of Power Focus 90, a 90 day, total immersion group coaching program that is considered by many to be the gold standard for personal development courses. He is also the creator and facilitator of Pivot From Your Heart, a highly regarded career reinvention course. Over his 30 year career, John has served as an Executive trainer for several multi-million dollar companies and he routinely facilitates workshops and seminars teaching leadership principles and peak performance strategies.

John studied Human Needs Psychology under his long time mentors Tony Robbins and Chloe Madanes at the Robbins-Madanes Center for Strategic Intervention. He holds certificates of specialization in Positive Psychology (Penn) Conflict Resolution (Cal-Irvine) and Teamwork Skills-Working In Groups (University of Colorado).

To learn more about John's practice visit John Page Burton