January often brings a mixed bag of feelings.  The holidays are over.  For some that is a relief and for others a disappointment . . . back to reality.  January more than anything is a time to reflect and begin to strategize on plans for the year . . . a doorway to the remainder of the year.

In fact . . .

“January is named after Janus (Ianuarius), the god of the doorway; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, coming from the Latin word for door (ianua) – January is the door to the year.” (Source(s): Wikipedia)

So, an open door . . . to where?  While most New Year’s resolutions end up being unmet, last January I recommended a different approach to ensuring your goals are realized:  Make them more meaningful.

Create a vision first that can help you shape your goals.  Visions are broad and often more compelling than short-term goals.  Most of us regularly get caught up in the tactical day-to-day tasks vs. strategic pursuits.  We often forget to stop and consider, “Is this important to meeting my goals?”

Several years ago I attended a New Year’s Eve event which involved writing a letter to myself about all the things I wanted to accomplish over the next year.  We wrote our goals in the past tense, as though they had already occurred, for example, “I took the stairway instead of the elevator.”  At the end of the following year, the host mailed us the letters we had written.  Upon reviewing the list, I was gratified to see how many of the items I had actually completed.  More significantly, I was surprised at what a modest list I had set forth.  It reminded me of a quotation:

“Big thinking precedes great achievement.”  — Wilferd Peterson, American author

So with that in mind, think BIG:

What is your vision for 2013?