If you’re reading this, then congratulations—you’ve made it to October. I feel like we all deserve awards at this point but then again, maybe you’re thinking, “Girl, we still have three more months in this crazy year. I’m ready to put this one to bed!” And I hear you—but what if. victory
- What if three months from now you could look back on this challenging time with pride?
- What if three months from now you were a better version of yourself?
- What if three months from now you could look back and know that you didn’t just survive 2020—you finished it on a high note and came out stronger than ever?
If 2020 is a story, then make right now a turning point where you get the treasure and find out the hard lessons led you to pure gold. Make the most of this opportunity to turn a new leaf, write a new ending on 2020 and come out of this year the hero your life story needs right now.
Easier said than done, right? No way—as a speaker, I’ve been right there with you in cancellation hell this year, but found a system that works (even if you hate systems like I do) that I repeat every quarter and shared with audiences to rave results. I’m sharing that system and strategy with you, so you can end 2020 on a high note and roll into the New Year with positive momentum.
4 Pitchers of Focus Strategy
Here’s how it works. Over the next 90 days, you’re going to say “Yes” to four things, and “Not right now” to everything else. What you say “Yes” to, is all up to you, because these four Pitchers of Focus are meant to get you closer to the goals that matter to you, the happiness that matters to you and the success that matters to you.
Pick a Focus Pitcher for each category:
Pitcher #1—Body
We’ve been told to love our bodies, but we should also prioritize taking care of it—because when you take care of it, you end up loving it, too. So, for this pitcher, pick something that you want to change about your body. Maybe you want to get stronger or leaner. Maybe you want to lose your back pain and actually make those doctor appointments you’ve been putting off, or get started on that 5K training. Whatever it is that you want to change about your body, make it a priority now and start taking measurable actions to achieve that change.
Pitcher #2—Mind
Your mind is one of the most powerful tools you’ll ever have in your career—and at the same time, it’s one of the stupidest and most gullible sidekicks you’ll have in your life.
Depending on what you fed it, your brain might be doubling as a storage locker for regrets and resentment, memories of how things used to be, and general living-in-the-past fantasies. But by using the Focus Pitcher Strategy, you can flip the room on your mind and have it creating the energy you want 24/7.
Ask yourself a simple question: “How do you want to feel?” Once you pinpoint the answer, you’ll have the focus bucket for your mind and know the steady diet you’ll need to feed it to consistently achieve that feeling. For example, want to feel patient with your spouse, kids, team, political ads, Facebook friends? Great.
- Don’t assume you know everything
- Ask questions before responding
- Be open to learning new things
- Ask yourself, “Will it matter in 5 minutes, 5 months or 5 years?”
- Ask yourself, “Can I control it?”
- Make sure you’re stocked with tequila
Want to feel young? Listen to music from high school, drive with the windows down, stay up too late laughing at your yearbook. Want to feel connected? Write a handwritten note, look for the people in your community that need your help, reach out to someone who lost someone they love and check in on them. Want to feel sexy? Awesome—light some candles, lock the door and where is that damn tequila?
You pick what you want. Own it. Then act on it because action attracts.
Pitcher #3—Wealth/Income
People change the world when they’re broke, but it sure goes a lot faster and feels a lot more fun when you’ve got abundance on your side. Make sure one of your buckets is focused on increasing your wealth and/or your income. This might be monetizing all that coaching work you’ve been doing for free or pivot to getting paid for your speeches like the speakers I coach at The Impactful Presenter.
Maybe you increase your wealth by negotiating a better salary or different benefits, transferring to a new role or even to a whole new industry. Or maybe you just…spend less. That’s right, saving money actually increases your wealth without you having to work harder, change your current position or do a dang thing extra.
However you do it, make sure every 90 Days of Focus Pitchers includes a thoughtful plan for increasing your bank account. Because you get better when you have more money. You get more creative, more generous, more stable and more effective at being the person and industry leader you want—and the world needs you—to be.
Pitcher #4—Community
Success doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t share it, so the fourth pitcher is dedicated to sharing that huge heart you have. Whether you share it with your community of family and friends, with your neighborhood or shared group of faith, or with people you haven’t met or may never meet, contributing one thing outside of yourself has the power to change the world.
Just like walking into that ballroom for the first time.
Just like stepping off that plane and being greeted by dancers.
Just like creating moments, memories, connections and the unconventional you’ve done before—and will again.
The power to change the world doesn’t cost much. It just requires your focus, your commitment and your action.
Will you join me in making a pledge to making the comeback of a lifetime? I hope so.
Let’s Do This
These Focus Pitchers clarify what you can do, quickly and effectively to get yourself from Wish List to Did It List—just like you’ve done before a thousand times for your clients.
This time it’s for yourself.
And when the clock strikes 12 on Dec. 31, the cheers will go to you—to the end of an era, to the strength you showed and the hope that the future is better than it is right now. You have the ability to make it so.
Rachel Sheerin is an award-winning keynote speaker and sales trainer focused on burnout, happiness and success. Host of F THIS S, the podcast that keeps love in your work and life, Rachel serves as Director of Global Awards for the Association for Women in Events, is a partner of The James Beard Foundation and takes her margaritas on the rocks. Keep updated with Rachel’s podcast, videos and sales training by connecting with her at RachelSheerin.com.
