Imagine that aliens have landed on earth, and of everyone on the planet - they end up in front of you. It's now your responsibility to explain the rules of life to these hypothetical aliens.
Like you, they are facing a new year and an opportunity for a new journey.
Would you tell them to let the media, politicians, and the economists determine what kind of a year they would have?
Or would you explain that they have a lot of freedoms, one of the most important being the freedom of thought; that they can think and make whatever plans they choose.
Admittedly, this is rather ridiculous question, as we both know you are not going to be instructing any aliens (or are you?!). But, it is a thought experiment to get you focused on the positive polarity.
We are facing a new year and we do have freedom of thought. You and I can plan to enjoy tremendous results this year. However, with all the negative energy swirling around the us, it's important to be deliberate. Without such plans it's easy to be swept into the "I can't because ..." rut, and it's way easier to maintain a habit than to dig yourself out of a bad one.
Positive framing won't substitute for hard work and intelligence - but it will act as a force function.
Beware of Stories!
On a related note, here's an interesting TedTalk.
Economist Tyler Cowen loves a good story. But he asks us to step away from thinking of our lives -- and our messy, irrational world -- in terms of simple narrative.
Tyler Cowen via TEDx
The moral: pay attention to what's really happening and respond intelligently.
It's not what humans are best at - it's why I love robots - but, it's an important task nonetheless.
We're headed into a new decade ... honestly ask yourself how the last year, and the last 10 were, and then ask yourself what you need to do to make the next ten better than the last ten.
