Get Back Up On The Horse.

Create A Life You Can't Wait To Wake Up To

Well, here we are, it’s already the second quarter of 2025, and I am still looking forward to the year unfolding. I am sure you are as well!

Don’t we all express the same sentiment every year? Every December 31 through maybe half of January, we decide what we need to work on to improve our lives in the future.

It’s challenging to acknowledge your flaws, pinpoint where you made mistakes, and decide whether you want to try again.
Sometimes it involves fixing or clarifying your actions, and sometimes it involves abandoning them for something better.

At this point in the year, we should be able to look back on what our resolutions were at the beginning of the year with a sense of reflection. Are we kidding ourselves about the New Year's tradition of what we plan to accomplish, or have we made some strides that we can be proud of?

I think in the resolution process, it is important not to load your plate in pursuit of too many items in one area of your life at the exclusion of others. Strive for a balance of commitments in your life. By the second quarter, we can see what to strengthen, adjust, and move forward on. That’s how goals work. They need feedback and adjustments to the course to correct towards the goals we are aiming for.

Work with your emotions and desires to find a few things that you can feel satisfied about achieving and have a reasonable chance of reaching without too much extreme stretch. Pushing yourself is fine. But over-pushing can spell the end down the road because of the need for too drastic a change in your habit pattern. I love the glory of setting big goals, but I hate the feeling of admitting I wasn’t willing to do what was necessary to check the goals off as complete.

The gym and diet industries have successfully exploited people’s fleeting ability to adhere to a plan beyond the first month or so. In our hearts, millions of us harbor noble intentions. But guess what? Life and our old habits get in the way and knock us off track. We have all been there.

We forgive ourselves, believe our excuses, and just do not pick the ball back up. This is not good. It leads to being mediocre or average if you just drift and let yourself off the hook. You were born to be more than average. God did not put you here as a pawn to be manipulated through life. Life is yours to do with and make memorable while you are on this incredible journey. Does that mean it will be a cake walk? Hardly. Life is for living. That means putting in the effort to reach your ambitions even if you are not in the mood.

Let’s be practical for a minute. The world of business works on a quarterly reporting system. There is no reason we should not do the same. We need to assess ourselves in our lives… are we ahead, on the mark, or behind where we think we should be?

We convince ourselves, “Oh, hell, I’ll get back to it next week.” A couple of days off won’t hurt anything.

Goal setting is easy, and it should be fun and emotionally motivating. It’s an investment of some mental energy and a notepad and pen.

Achieving goals, however, isn’t always so easy. We abandon our plans or don't hold ourselves accountable when we falter. Everyone is easy on themselves… Participation trophies seem to be adequate.

In the business world, you could be overlooked for promotion in favor of the person who stepped up. Unless YOU are that person who stepped up and made a difference.

This is bigger than business. It’s life! Your life, as well as the people in it, and those who interact with you. Whether it’s family, close friends, your children, or your associates, if you are progressing in the various areas of your life, you can take pride that good things are happening.

Setting life goals each quarter is better than once a year. It keeps you sharp. Your life is like a wheel. It must roll smoothly, and to do that, your life should be as balanced as possible. What does that mean?

Simply, it means having goals in all areas of your life. Business, Physical, Finances, Health, Friends and Family, Romance, Personal Growth, Fun, and Recreation, Personal Environment.

This is not new, but I dare say seldom thought out as it relates to our lives, because we don’t segment individual parts of our lives to set goals in. Be honest, is this how you set your personal goals?

Rather, we do it more in a general pattern that winds up giving us little progress in any specifics. This takes time to plan and then track for feedback. It is so rewarding when you feel like you are in balance.

We don’t want an out-of-balance wheel that will give us a very bumpy, uncomfortable ride.

All kinds of systems can help you. You can use various tools such as the wheel above, various apps, spreadsheets, checklists, and more. In the end, it boils down to your desire, commitment, and perseverance. You build that by daily action habits and refining yourself as you go, by always getting back on the horse. Whatever system you choose to use, choose one that allows you to wake up each day with a firm commitment to be true to yourself and where you want to be. Give yourself enough feedback so that you can correct the course you are on if necessary.

So, while it is still early in the second quarter of life this year, get back up on the Horse!

The horse will take you where you want to go when you continue to feed him and keep him moving forward in the direction you have chosen to ride.