Thanks for the Inspiration, Mother Nature!

Fall is here, and it is my absolute favorite season! The crisp air, the kaleidoscope of colors, the season of harvest. There are few things more stunning than the colors of autumn and how vibrantly they change the landscape. The burst of vibrant color captures our attention and captivates our imagination.

But for me, fall also brings a sense of urgency. As in “wow, where did the time go?” It seems we just finished defining our goals and building momentum for the year, when wham, it’s time to think about how to move business forward in the coming year.

Fall is a reminder that time is forever moving and that the beauty of life is found in its transitions and changes. It is a time to reap the rewards of all our hard work and focused commitment for the year. We deserve it. At the same time, it brings up the fact that when Fall begins, we are just a hop, skip, and jump away from the new year. The fall season is an ideal time to reflect, reset your goals, and look toward the future.

I’m not much for New Year’s resolutions. Every January, I try to set realistic goals, but my implementation is…well…lacking. In fact, research shows that only about eight percent of people actually achieve their New Year’s goals. So maybe many of you have this challenge too?

The fall season has inspired me to begin goal setting earlier. As the trees dazzle us with their burst of color and then shed their leaves, nature reminds us to look at what we can each individually change in order to begin anew. So this year I am taking stock of the year thus far, to appreciate my accomplishments, pin-point areas where there is room for growth, and determine how to set myself up for success. Ready to join me in starting a new tradition?

I know; it can be hard to get started. There are countless distractions in the day that make it hard to get started on something that seems so far in the future. But the work we put into planning now will help ensure successful efforts in the coming year. And really there are two simple things you can do to make it happen. You just need to get started and then follow through. As the saying goes “intention means nothing without action”.

If autumn teaches us anything, it is this: change is an exciting and necessary part of life. As you look back on your accomplishments from the year and begin planning for the next, look forward to the future and the changes that lie in store. In the end, fall reminds us to find encouragement in the promise of new beginnings and the excitement of another year of coming closer to reaching your potential. Here’s to new beginnings!

Stacy Stout, FSMPS, CPSM, resides on the SMPS board as director at-large and is principal of BRANDiac Strategies. She can be reached at stacy@brandiacstrategies.com

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