As we have now passed the halfway point of 2022, it’s a good time to review what you have achieved so far in the year and look at what you want to achieve in the next fast approaching six months.
A big mistake people make is always having an excuse for not doing things, always saying they are too busy – yet, when you ask to look at their calendar, there are loads of blank spaces. If you do not plan ahead, things do not happen.
No one is productive without a structure or plan.
This is the same in both personal and business life. I started to take control of my personal life five years ago and, as a result, the business side began to reap the benefits.
In January 2022, I started writing in a journal every day, planning my year ahead and breaking it down into manageable, bite-sized pieces each week. This way, the big mountain to climb becomes little steps and, before you know it, you have surpassed what you aimed to do.
Journaling is a great way to think of positives even in the worst situation. There are positives in everything, and thinking this way teaches you to deal with things before they happen, or to stop them from happening again.
Every quarter, I write down what I want to happen in my life and aim to achieve it. It has made my business run better, and taught me to make decisions with a clearer head, rather than running day to day.
Step outside your comfort zone
You need to step outside your comfort zone to really live life and find out who you are. Otherwise, life can feel like Groundhog Day, and this can grind the best of people down.
I’ve just come back from Wales, where I took on the challenge to climb the Pen y Fan and do the notorious Fan Dance, which involves a 24km hike while carrying 44lbs, like the special forces do.
I was lucky to do this with Ollie Ollerton, former special forces soldier and TV star. It was the toughest thing I’ve ever done, and completing it was overwhelming. This was a case of breaking the mountain into small chunks to tackle it. Without doing that, the challenge would have beaten me, physically and mentally.
You might think that this would be the highlight of my week, but coming home to my family and taking them out for a meal to celebrate the kids finishing their first year of secondary school was my favourite moment.
Once you change the way you run your life, sometimes the simplest things can bring the biggest rewards.
Calum Richardson is owner of The Bay Fish & Chips in Stonehaven
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