“Curiosity and questions will get you further than confidence and answers.”
~ Maxime Lagace
As you end Q4, you’re likely starting to think about your goals for 2023. You might even be thinking about those missed opportunities from 2022 and how to ensure you achieve what you want this next year.
If you’re struggling to reach your goals or want to ensure that 2023 is the best year yet, it comes down to psychology. Recently, I gave a presentation about the inner game – the thoughts that help shape how your 2023 goes.
You might be wondering, “Why do my inner thoughts matter? My actions are more important.” I want to challenge that. Have you ever noticed that when you or your team are really desperate to make things work, they just don’t? You can do all the right actions, but your thoughts will still come through in what you’re doing.
So, let’s look at how to get your inner game on point for 2023.
Intentionality To Reach Your 2023 Goals
The first part of this inner game is bringing your intentions in check or acknowledging what they are. I put this into four parts:
- Manifest what you want
- Believe you can have it
- Be open to receiving it or something similar
- Embrace abundance and let go of fear, comparison, or competition.
When it comes to intentionality, get specific. It’s not enough to say, “I want to do more or make more money in 2023.” Think about what systems you need to optimize, what kind of work you want to focus on, or what benchmarks you want to hit throughout the year. Get realistic about what you actually want so that you’re able to recognize it when it comes around.
You also have to also be open and ready to receive what you’ve manifested, knowing that it may come in a form you did not expect or from someone you did not expect. When I first started my business, I told a colleague the type of client and work I wanted to do. I believed we were just having a conversation (and we were). I certainly did not expect it to go anywhere. But as it happened her business partner had a large contract in the UK working with the type of client I wanted to work with, and she referred me to him and I got the work. This all happened within 2 weeks of my conversation with her.
Embracing Curiosity in 2023
One of the best ways to really achieve your goals for 2023 is to get curious. What can you learn to make yourself a better leader or coworker in 2023? Who can you engage with to understand more about your industry or the world around you?
The more you’re actively looking for information, the more you’re actually opening yourself up to opportunities. Be open to learning outside your area of expertise as well.
For instance, I have clients who are Chief Financial Officers and Chief Legal Officers and in Industries or organizations that are new to me. To make sure I’m best serving them, I read up on things in their world (i.e., Financial, or their Industry). I also let my clients educate me. I ask questions and stay curious so that I can better serve them and clients in the future. Being curious helps me see patterns across clients, organizations, and industries which I can share with my clients and apply to my own business.
One way I have applied my curiosity is to spend time with people who are younger than me. They think and communicate differently from me, and it opens up my worldview. I also try to spend time with others who are culturally different from me/think differently than me to help me stay relevant and more in tune with the dynamics I see happening all around us (socially, politically, technologically, etc.)
How to Incorporate Unattached Action in 2023
“Not being attached to the outcome of your actions means that you are established in self-awareness…action can be initiated from [there] and what is needed in the moment…instead of ego expectations…”
~ Deepak Chopra
When I say unattached action, you might be picturing someone who is aloof or has “quietly quit” at work. That’s not what I’m talking about at all.
Instead, I want to encourage you to do things without the expectation of a return on your investment. That might mean sharing what you’re doing or reaching out to people with a genuine interest in how they’re doing.
If you’re always focused on what you’ll get out of your actions, people will find you disingenuous. They may stop being interested in engaging with you or will think of you as someone who is overwhelmingly selfish.
As an example, I recently sat down with a client group who were interested in getting their team back on-site five days a week. With the rise of fully remote and hybrid work, this change was receiving quite a bit of pushback. All I did was have a conversation with the group - helping them think through how hybrid can/cannot be beneficial and how to tie to business objectives so it can be sold to senior leadership.
That wasn’t a paid consultation, and it may not lead to any work. I just authentically wanted to help without expectations. In the long term, this group hopefully will view the interaction as a positive experience, and that can be more powerful than making a short-term sale.
Ready to Reach Your 2023 Goals?
If you want to chat with us about what you’re hoping to achieve in 2023, reach out to us. We’d love to sit down with you and help you get intentional, curious, and acting without expectations.
Warmly,
Lori and James
Lori Heffelfinger and James Jackman
