Three Bold Predictions for 2017

I try to stay out of the prediction business. It’s a prescription for inevitable failure. Think about the weatherman. He’s right about half the time only because he’s wrong the other half!  Peter Drucker expressed it this way, “Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window.” That said, I’ve got three bold predictions for 2017…

Unlike most predications, I can make these three predictions for 2017 with confidence. And each is tied to a choice.

1. You Won’t Get Different Results if You Choose to Stay the Same 

Many of us desire changes in our lives.  We want things to be different.  As we think about the new year, we may wish for this or wish for that. Many folks spend a whole lot of time thinking about how they want 2017 to be different.

We mustn’t forget this truth: What got us to where we are, won’t get us to where we’d like to go.

If you want 2017 to have different outcomes, then you’ll have to make change the way you live and work, day after day, starting now.

The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.

-Mark Zuckerberg

The time you take to plan today will pay handsome dividends in the future.

2. Time Spent Planning Today Will Pay Dividends Throughout 2017

Jackie Joyner-Kersee said it this way, “It’s better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.”

We all know people who “live by the seat of their pants”.  You know, folks who never think beyond the current moment.  And while there are certainly positive aspects to spontaneity, an unplanned life falls short of its full potential – every time.

When you take time now to think about and plan your year, you’ll be paving the path to your future success.

Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.

–Pablo Picasso

If we don’t determine our plan for 2017, then we essentially give up this important right and empower others to step in and plan our lives for us.

If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.

-Yogi Berra

3. If (and How) You Set Goals Will Determine Your Ultimate Success

When we choose to set goals, we crystallize our desires into achievable outcomes. Well-written goals inspire our hearts, stimulate our minds and align our bodies toward reaching those goals.

Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.

-Brian Tracy

Goal setting has been key to my success, year after year.  If you set goals and how you set them will have a direct impact on what you accomplish and who you’ll become in 2017.

If you’re interested in setting and achieving goals in 2017, we’ve created a FREE downloadable Goal Tip-Sheet that might interest you. You can download this free tip sheet, by <clicking here>.

Now, going back to Peter Drucker, he also talked about predicting the future from another perspective.  He said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” And you’ll be well on your way to creating your future in 2017 by 1) changing the way you think and live 2) choosing to plan for the future today and 3) setting meaningful and achievable goals that challenge and inspire you toward greater growth and impact.

Are you willing to change what you do this year to achieve different results?  Planning and setting goals might be the first step to your best year ever!  You can leave your comments <here>, and please pass this blog post along to friends, family, and co-workers.

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