Tuesday 5 January 2016

Affirmations to make this year your most successful ever!

The start of a new year is a time for reflection when we consider whether we are on the right path to a productive and fulfilling future.  



With this in mind, here are five favourite New Years’ resolutions:

1.  Devote time to professional development


If you are studying with ABE, then you have already invested in your professional development.  But being an ABE member offers the opportunity to do more than obtain a professional qualification - you can access a wealth of resources in the Members Area, including the Emerald academic journal database.  With over 140 respected publications to choose from this provides the opportunity to learn the latest thinking from some of the world’s leading business authorities. 

Spend time taking advantage of these resources and use your ABE membership as an opportunity to become an expert in your field.     This, of course, will also increase your chance of getting a fantastic exam result!

2.  Learn something new every day

Whether or not you are studying, this is a great affirmation to live by.  Consider everything you do and question whether things could be done better; learn what works well and how mistakes can be avoided.  This will hone your ability to understand new situations and make the right choices quickly and decisively.  With this ability you are likely to gain a reputation as a strong leader.

3.  Become a great listener

Learning every day also depends on listening to those around us.  Talk to colleagues and peers, listen to their feedback and try to understand their point of view. Develop the art of being totally focused on what people are saying.  Don’t get distracted by planning your reply or interrupting.  Rather than making their own point, a good listener will ask questions until they have established all the facts and then, if in doubt, check their understanding by summarising what they have heard.
  
If you are in a discussion and find you are doing all the talking, ask someone else to give their opinion and then make a point of keeping quiet for a while allowing others to speak.  If you disagree with someone’s opinion, explain why in a way that makes it clear that you respect their point of view. That way, people are encouraged to share their thoughts and you benefit from hearing their perspective.

4.  Be positive

We all have setbacks, for instance when we don’t get a job promotion or the exam results we had hoped for.  When this happens it's easy to feel defeated.  But remember, to achieve in life you need to retain a positive ‘can-do’ attitude.  For example, if you don’t pass an exam and say; “It’s too hard, I give up”, you will never learn where your knowledge was lacking or get the qualification you wanted.  However, if you remain positive, look at what went wrong with your paper and study hard in the areas that let you down you will be rewarded with success.   Take inspiration from the words of inventor and entrepreneur James Dyson, who overcame many setbacks in his early career; "Enjoy failure and learn from it. You can never learn from success."

5. Enjoy what you do

You time is precious so use it wisely.  Work out what makes you happy and fulfilled and then set your goals based on these values.    A quote from late journalist and television presenter, David Frost, sums this up nicely, “Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in and it will come naturally.”

Good luck!

Words by ABE Marketing and Communications Manager, Linda Wilkin
Illustration by Marketing Assistant, Michelle Mejia

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