We’re so quick to acknowledge other people’s success. We honor our friends when they receive awards, we celebrate a promotion of a colleague, and we pat family members on the back when they achieve something big. For some reason, it’s less likely to see yourself in that same light. Why are you your own worst critic? I get it – I often see the worst in myself, too – it’s a hard habit to break. However, it’s imperative that you don’t block your own success by not giving yourself enough, well-deserved credit. Just like you’d celebrate a win earned by anyone else, do the same for yourself.

A culture of winning makes for a stronger culture of accountability and with that mindset, there will ultimately be more to celebrate. Try it for a period of one week – every time your inner monologue starts getting down on something you’ve done and you’re critical of yourself, change the tune and replace that voice with a positive thing you’ve done that day. Do this every time you have a moment of self-critique that’s out of place, and watch how much better you feel and how many more target’s You start hitting.

The time has come for You to see Yourself in Your Best Light…

Fear is the main force in our way. Fear has a way of disguising itself as stories or experiences that block us. It can look so justified and so real that we never see it for what it is. We see it as an excuse, an alibi, and a reason why we can’t do this or we can’t do that. The key is to constantly test it, to question it, to stay objective with an open mind and get curious within ourselves.

When that closing is nearing on the deal You have worked on, or that meeting is about to come to its perfect conclusion and a doubt, a question, or some blocking emotion arises that seems real and starts taking You off course, question it thoroughly. When You do this You will rise above this, You will undress this story and see that it is unwarranted fear, and then you can stay focused on Your target. The next time Fear pops up, get curious and keep questioning it with an open mind and watch your arrow hit the bulls eye of the target You are after.

People always talk about constant action – you should always be moving forward, you should always be focused on your goals or intentions, or even that you should always be focused on a specific game plan. My version of this is simple: always be learning. There’s an opportunity to learn  in every moment, but to get the lesson, you need to keep an open mind and be aware and in the moment – always. You can of course learn from a mentor or friend or teacher, but you can also learn from your kids, co-workers, or even students – every person has something to share, so just be open to absorbing those ideas. In the same spirit, problems are the best learning opportunities out of anything: when something doesn’t go right, you learn reasons why, and if you pay close enough attention, you can fix it the next time around. In the hunt, when you don’t get your buck, you get priceless information about conditions, terrain, mating patterns, and surroundings that will help you the next time you head out – why should the rest of your life be any different?

People come to me about starting a business and try to figure out fundraising first. I tell them they’re thinking about it backward. It would be the same as trying to start with the kill in your hunt, without first figuring out where to put your tree stand. Start with the basics, test the waters, prove some things to work (and figure out what doesn’t), and then think about the next step. Business is no different: if you prove a model, you’ll watch the capital come to you. Get your feet wet, try a few things, and get some traction. Start small: don’t overbuild and be willing to be fluid, to roll with the punches as things change in real-time. When they inevitably do, adjust and change your course enough to test that route. When you do and you prove yourself, then financing the next level will be easy.

Regardless of Your religion or the rhythm by which You live Your life, the Holidays have a way of pushing us to CHECK IN.

Whether it is the self-reflection we tend to do or the thought of greater accomplishment & more flowing times in the year ahead, the Holidays are a meaningful part of us. They drive us as we try to beat certain milestones we have set for ourselves before the calendar year expires. And then, hopefully they remind us about what is truly important in life. The times with family, the traditions in the making, the holiday Spirit.

When You let go of ego & surrender to the moment You have an amazing chance of CHECKING IN and getting the CHECK OUT You deserve to pave the way for an amazing 2014! May You have an epic Holiday filled with less cell phone time & More CHECK IN time & of course try and get your butt outdoors☺…

GOD bless,

David, Nadine, Hunter, River, & Fischer Farbman

We all set goals. For you, this could be becoming the leader in your industry. It could be becoming the most involved mom at your child’s school. It could be becoming a foremost expert in your field. No matter what your goal is, it represents a target. You do everything to achieve it – the pathway to that achievement can always be adjusted. When it’s more important to reach your target than to be exactly right about an idea, it’s time to pivot. Change directions – start on a new course. Here’s a hint: it’s always more important to reach your goal than to be stubborn and right. Let yourself try something different, by always keeping your target in mind. Eyes on the prize! I would love to hear from you with your own goals and plans to attack them for 2014 – wishing you your best hunt yet.