How Can We Make Real Change in 2016?

So here we are again… We made it!

The sun has officially set on 2015, and given rise to the new and improved 2016. Before I begin with this article though, I’d like to first formally admit that the engineering bias of my brain balks at the whole idea behind New Year’s. I mean come on:

• Technically speaking… Wouldn’t we all benefit from treating each new month as a fresh start, or perhaps even each new week?
• How about each new day?
• Honestly though… How much better off would we all be if we really did wake up every morning with the mentality that each day is a new adventure filled with opportunity?

I know… You probably think I’m crazy already don’t you; haha, but bare with me on this. I really do want to help people live better lives, and I love these kinds of questions.

In fact, it’s always bothered me that we weren’t necessarily taught to think this way growing up; and if you really think about it, those mentalities described above aren’t really all that farfetched:

• I mean come on… Don’t some of us already wake up with that exact same mentality when we’re on vacation?
• Since our vacations usually turn out so well, then why not try applying that same principle to our “real lives” too!?

There’s an old saying that I love which puts this in the perfect context:

“Some people are so busy trying to make a living, that they forget to design a life.”

Now don’t get me wrong… I completely understand that we can’t always live like we’re on vacation. I realize that we’ve got important responsibilities and obligations to our loved ones; and to our employers, but why not make that small shift in mentality!?

I get that we can’t design an entirely new life overnight; but there’s no reason why we can’t change our focus at this very moment, and here’s what I know for sure…

Most people end up designing and planning their vacations more than they do their lives. The inevitable result is that their vacations; more often than not, end up going rather smoothly and as planned. Unfortunately; however, their lives don’t always turn out as they’d hoped.

If you don’t believe me; that’s okay, let’s do a little experiment on this one…

I encourage you to go out and talk to someone who has a big vacation coming up. When you do; please bring up the vacation with genuine interest, and start asking some compelling questions about it. I’d be willing to bet that they’ll be able to tell you exactly what they’re going to do; where they’re going to be, and exactly who they’ll be spending time with. The details of their trip will likely be extremely thorough and told with immense passion (take notice).

Now… After they’ve informed you regarding all of the details of their upcoming vacation; please wait a day or so, and then take some time to ask that same person about their goals and dreams. Politely; of course, simply ask them questions relating to their short and long-term goals… Things like:

• What are your biggest dreams?
• Where do you want to be in 5 years, 10 years, or even 20?
• In your life… What kind of person do you want to become?
• What do you want to spend your time doing, and with whom!?

Be creative with this; ask any questions along those lines, and it’ll work just fine. My best guess is that this person will stumble quite a bit in trying to give you straight answers to these kinds of questions. I’d also be willing to bet that their level of passion will be significantly higher when they’re discussing their vacation plans than it is when they’re talking about their goals and dreams. Also, take note that it’s likely that your first conversation with this person will go a hell of a lot smoother than the second one.

Quick Side Note… I completely understand that finding answers to these kinds of questions about our goals and dreams can be insanely overwhelming at times; especially when we’re young, which is exactly why so few people have answers to them. I’d like to reiterate that I’m not trying to be insensitive here; but rather, I’m simply trying to shed light on a fundamental and important truth.

So what does all of this really mean then…?

If you take nothing else from this article, please never forget the following statement:

If you don’t even know what you’re looking for, then you will never find it.

I truly believe that this statement above is one of the most important phrases I’ve ever coined. We cannot hit a target that we don’t have. Without big dreams, goals, and a bright future to strive for; we’ll inevitably slip into distractions, vices and despair. I know because I’ve been there…

Please never forget to constantly cultivate big goals and dreams. It’s single-handedly the most important aspect of living an extraordinary life and in carving your own unique path to greatness in this world. We all need something compelling to help incentivize us to learn, grow, expand; and to pull us toward a brighter future!

In life… We tend to get more of whatever we focus on:

• If we focus on things like; “How can I pay the bills”, we’re likely to find a way.
• If instead though, we channel that focus to a better question like; “How can I design an incredible life and accomplish all of my dreams”, then the same rule applies!

One of my favorite quotes of all time is:

“If we want better results, we must ask ourselves better questions.” — Tony Robbins

Okay… So here’s the final verdict:

The simple truth of the matter is that every second of every day can be a fresh start with the right mentality. Let’s make 2016 our year; or even better yet, the start of our decade!

Let’s make a decision together right now to start searching deep within ourselves to figure who we really want to be in this life, and what we want to do with it. I know that this can be overwhelming sometimes; but remember, no step toward your dream is ever to small, even if that step is simply to find one.

I hope you enjoyed this article. Thanks so much, and please don’t hesitate to reach out on Social Media or email any time (alan@alanlazaros.com). I look forward to hopefully meeting all of you at a live speaking event soon; and as always:

There’s a Superhero in all of us. Keep chasin’ dreams and bettering yourself every day. Humanity needs your uniqueness. After all.. This world ain’t gonna save itself!