Having 2020 Vision
What can you learn from the challenges of 2020 that will help you to succeed in 2021? The last 12 months may have been difficult but, if you can develop hindsight, insight and foresight, you can learn really valuable lessons that will help you immeasurably in the future. Here’s how you can use the setbacks of the past to start building a better tomorrow, today:
Hindsight:
In life, you often have to look back to be able to see the way forward. Hindsight enables you to leverage the past.
- Learn From Your Past.
You must learn from your mistakes, but you also have to remember your past wins and accomplishments. As Rick Warren once said, “Remember how far you’ve come, not just how far you have to go. You’re not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be.”
- Make Peace With Your Past.
To move forward, you have to come to terms with your setbacks and then look ahead with renewed purpose. Without peace in your past, there’s no power in your future.
- You Did It Before, You Can Do It Again.
Analyze what you’ve done well and remember what you’re proud of. When the going gets tough, remind yourself that you’ve succeeded in the past and you can succeed in the future, too.
Insight:
Insight is a big part of having vision for your future. With insight, you can learn from your experiences, both good and bad.
- Understand Your Patterns.
What is your pattern of behavior when you encounter a setback? Do you retreat to the familiarity of your comfort zone, for example? If you want to manage your patterns, you must first learn to understand them.
- How Do You Respond Under Pressure?
Under pressure, our natural profiles are magnified. For example, if you like to be in control, that trait will intensify. The key is to identify and analyze how you react under pressure so that you can learn and improve.
- Ask Yourself: Knowing What You Know Now, What Would You Do Differently?
With the benefit of hindsight, would you approach a challenge or a difficulty differently? Reflecting on this can help you to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
Foresight:
Foresight is about having a 2020 vision for the future.
- Start With the End in Mind.
What’s your ultimate goal? Don’t be afraid to be audacious in your goal-making and then reverse engineer and work your way back to where you want to get to. As Oprah Winfrey said, “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.”
- When Your Values Are Clear, Your Decisions Are Easy.
If you clearly establish your core values, it’s far easier to make decisions. For example, if you decide your financial plan in advance, then you won’t stray from that if you meet temptation.
- Have Something To Look Forward To.
Having things to look forward to is the spice of life. As Lou Holtz says, “Everybody needs four things in life: something to do, someone to love, someone to believe in, and something to hope for.” Whether it’s a trip you want to take or a treat you want to plan for, always have something to look forward to.
If you develop hindsight, insight and foresight you’ll have a lot power in your life. To learn more, listen to the latest episode of “It’s a Good Life.”
