So, the New Year’s Resolutions have already lost their luster. You can’t just change at the drop of a hat and you’re still you. You’re overwhelmed with life either because there is too much going on or too little going on (like my last post). What do you do?

1. You surround yourself with people in your life who will speak truth to you. On the right is a picture of me with my ‘adopted dad.’ A man I love, respect, and who speaks into my life regarding my blind spots. My wife is in this category and my brother-in-law.

2. You select a group of close, intimate friends who know you. You can’t BS them and they will tell you who you are whether you like it or like. This creates a place of safety where you don’t have to hide and you can receive the words of those who care about you. A great resource to read about how to create an intimate group of close relationships is Samson and the Pirate Monks by my friend Nate Larkin that comes out in February.

3. You make a commitment to cut out the excess bagage in your life. There’s a leadership principle called the 80/20 rule. 20% of the things in your life create 80% of your success. That means 80% of the things you spend your time on only give you 20% of your successes. Find the top 20% of the things you are good at that yield the most results and cut the 80% of things that are flat-out wasting your time.

That’s my New Years Resolution!