Developing a high performance mindset in 2023: How to get on the front foot this year

How are you finding the start of 2023?

After the Xmas break I got stuck straight into one to one sessions with my corporate leadership clients across a number of industries and not surprisingly, their goals had similar themes.?

Most were getting focused on what their mission, strategy and goals for the year would look like, and how they could involve and communicate effectively with their teams.?

All wanted to explore how they could optimise their focus, mindset and wellbeing to ensure they are consistently productive and aiming higher this year.

I too can relate, and want to ensure that I am optimising my time and energy in the best way possible by getting on the front foot.?

So I’m sharing some things that are helping me (and my clients) step into a high performance mindset.?

Word for the year

I know this gets thrown around a lot, but having a word for the year really helps to steer the ship and continually course correct to what’s important. This can be a personal word for how you want to show up as a leader this year, or for your team/department.

My word for 2023 is Elevate which looks like:

??Spending more time in my stretch and growth zone. It’s so easy to stay in comfort but nothing great comes from comfort zones! (For more information on expanding comfort zones check out this article .)

??Setting goals that scare me but are great for my development. After going through a few big life events in the last few years, this year is all about setting big goals that are aligned with my bigger vision.?

??Facing the things I have put off. So easy to do, but eating the frog really is the best way to go.?

??Spending time with friends, colleagues and people that lift me up, challenge me, make me think and give me energy. Attitudes are contagious.

??Developing consistent habits that contribute to my growth. More on that below.

??Focusing even more on health, fitness and mindset. It is the biggest contributor to positive mental health.

??Developing new skills and elevating existing ones in business, life and hobbies.?

I’ve asked every client I’ve coached over the last week what their word is and would love to know yours too. Shoot me a message and let me know.?

Prioritising mental and physical health

An obvious one, however it can be hard to keep on top of when you find yourself in the weeds of day to day work and fire fighting. As an executive coach of senior leaders, these topics are always on the table to be explored as a foundation for high performance.?

This will look different for everyone depending on what makes you feel fulfilled, calm and energised.?

A few things that have/will help me:

Blocking out my calendar for regular exercise: I go to the gym mainly, but this can be anything that makes you feel good. Walking, spin, swimming. Blocking it out and making it a priority can have a huge beneficial impact on your productivity, even if cancelling it to plough through work feels like a better option sometimes.?

Spending time each day nourishing rather than numbing: We all know what it feels like to want to escape in the evenings after a full day of work/life. Numbing activities for me are bingeing on the TV or mindless scrolling on social media. Which are fine if it’s done a little, but not when it consumes your downtime. I want to consistently swap out numbing activities and replace (in the main) with reading, listening to a podcast or learning something new.?

Honouring boundaries: Whether it’s switching off at a certain time and not checking apps/emails. Or giving yourself a calming wind down time every night before you go to bed. Being clear on your boundaries and how they help to maintain your well being is crucial to stay optimum and avoid burn out.?

Noticing triggers and acting on them early: We all have emotional triggers that can cause us to feel angry or stressed. Pressures at work, things not going to plan at home. I’m going to really focus in this year on catching them when they come and doing something to instantly calm instead. Deep breathing, having a bath, listening to music, going for a walk are all things that help me. What about you?

Having a clear plan

Last weekend I spent some time creating a vision board for 2023. Getting super clear on what I want to achieve this year in all aspects of my life and hanging it somewhere I see every day will continuously remind me of what I’m moving towards. And science says that if we focus on what we want (rather than what we don’t) our brain will seek it out and it will be more likely to happen!?

What could this look like for you? Perhaps you can create your own vision board for all you want to achieve this year. Or take your team through a session where you set out your high level vision, mission, strategy and aligned goals. (More on that below.)

Mantra for the year

My mantra this year is ‘I move towards myself and away from distraction.’?

Distraction is something us humans battle with daily, and it’s a big squasher of wellbeing, productivity, energy and focus. So this mantra will be plastered by my computer all year.?

In order to move away from distraction I’m going to:

Make use of all the fab features on my iPhone: that automatically shut the phone down in the evenings and during the day when I’m in meetings or need to focus in on what I am doing completely.

Clear the tabs and focus on one thing at a time: I’m going to get better at sticking to my blocking schedule, where I do things at certain times depending and only focus on one thing at a time.?

Eat the frog: I mentioned this earlier, however if there is something I’m procrastinating on, I’ll make a big push to catch that feeling and eat the frog. In other words do the uncomfortable or boring things first so I can focus on the things that bring me joy after.

What will help you get into a productive and energised mindset this year so that you can consistently work towards your goals and maintain optimum levels of well being??

Getting clear on your vision, mission and goals

If you and your team would like support in shaping your vision, mission strategy and goals for this year shoot me a message or email [email protected]. I’d love to chat with you about how I can help.?

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