As 2016 came to an end I took some time to reflect on my progress or lack there of. It was one hell of a year with some major highs and lows. First, I'll give you a look at my 2016 and then I'll share 11 questions that will make you think differently, open your mind to new possibilities and ultimately equip you with the power to THRIVE in 2017 in all areas of your life: Personally, Health & Fitness, Relationship, Finances, Professional/Business....My 2016 was as follows:
January - Launched a new online product and brand - Kingsman Academy.
The 1st Kingsman Academy.
February 1st - Moved from my home state of Wisconsin, to Denver, Colorado - knowing no one. I would also join a Crossfit gym and enter my 1st Crossfit Open. I have been in the industry for 8+ years, but Crossfit was never "my thing" I did this to step outside of my comfort zone. Started meeting new people, networking and forming new friendships.
The moment I sent in my lease application. The moment that my life would forever change, with intention.
March 12 - Met a woman who I would later fall deeply in love with and begin a committed relationship - after being single for 3+ years.
April - Attended Experts Academy Live seminar that would project my online and Entreprenuership career forward. Created another online product - a health & fitness online program KingsmanStrong that led to 5x my online revenue. Set up online sales funnels that work 24/7 - ultimately creating another source of income and income producing asset.
June - Created another online program called 'The 60-day Fit Chick Challenge'
August - Officially started dating the woman I met in March and see a long, happy and passionate relationship with.
August 16th - 27th - Took the my last Harley ride with my Dad. This would also be the last time that I would speak to my Dad, in person.
Our last ride and last photo with my Dad.
September 20th- My best friend, my Dad, passed away after battling cancer for 2.5 years. He was just 57 years old. *When I'm ready, I will write about this and the lessons that live within.
Sept - November: Flew back to Wisconsin to finish what my Dad started. My Dad spent his life farming. He had planted over 1,000 acres of corn and soybeans, which he could no longer harvest. I went back to harvest what he had planted - His Final Season.
December - Had to decide if we would watch what my Dad and Grandpa dedicated their lives to - Valley Ridge Farm - be sold and lost, or continue on with the tradition. I've chosen to do at least one year as a tribute to both. I will be farming the 1,000 acres in 2017. I will be sure to share this journey as well.
December 30th - Made it back to Denver, Colorado for the New Year.
Rigning in 2017 with style and with my gorgeous girlfriend.
Taking the time to really reflect on this year left me with some deep appreciation, gratitude, love and joy. However, I feel we all too often throw the previous year behind and zero in on the upcoming year.
Which is why I wanted to write this article. To give you an outline and blueprint to reflecting on your previous year and creating a plan to ensure that you thrive in 2017, all by taking you through a strategic serious of questions.
This article is for those ready to appreciate and learn from 2016, but CREATE bigger and better things in 2017. We are a few days into 2017, have you made some changes? Started any new habits or routines?
Before you continue the year, take the time to look back on 2016, how did things turn out for you? Did you have the kind of breakthroughs and/or progress that you envisioned when the year began?
How can you not just survive 2017, but THRIVE? Well, I've come up with 11 questions to ask myself to ensure that I do - I hope they can help you as well.
HERE ARE 11 QUESTIONS THAT WE SHOULD ALL ASK OURSELVES TO ENSURE THAT WE THRIVE DURING 2017:
1. DID I IMPROVE AND ENRICH MY RELATIONSHIPS? DID I LOVE HARDER AND MORE OFTEN?
Take a look around, how do my relationships look? Did I create meaningful memories during 2016 with those that whom I care about, or did I simply go through the motions? How about my intimate relationship, is it healthy and passionate or are am just comfortable in the relationship?
Things I do:
- Be pro-active and plan a trip! Don't wait for things to happen to me, go out and CREATE them. What can I do, where can I go, what can I see that will become a lasting memory for me and those that I care about the most? Having a trip planned gives you that excitement of anticipation, which often times, can keep us driving forward during difficult times.
- Start doing the 'little things again' for my significant other. You can read about some specific examples in my article "How to Get Her to Stop Nagging"
2. DID I CREATE MORE INCOME? DID I CREATE ANOTHER STREAM OF INCOME?
How did my income situation turn out? Did I settle for the standard 2%-5% raise from your previous years income or did I take action by intentionally CREATING another source of income? What's the quickest way to improve my financial situation?....create additional revenue streams! Having one source of income is the quickest way to mediocrity. The great thing about the present time is that there are ENDLESS opportunities and possibilities. The only limitations are that of our creative and imagination. We can literally create multiple revenue streams with a computer and internet access, all from the comfort of our homes (read about this with more depth in my article: The Pioneers of The New Age Freedom Movement).
Ask yourself, "What can I create that will improve the quality of other peoples lives?" When I can do that, I've created an additional revenue stream and I'm on the path to financial freedom! Think about it, we have multiple streams of bills, so we sure as heck better create multiple streams of income if we desire true financial freedom and time freedom.
Things I can do:
- Become AWARE of opportunities. They are there, but so many of us simply ignore them or dismiss them with justifications such as: "Ah, that's not for me. I'm not like that. I could never do that. Sure, they can do that because _____. I don't have the time. I don't have the money...." They are endless. Remember, nothing changes if nothing changes. When was the last time I said, "Yes" to a NEW opportunity, even if it scared the shit out of me? When is the last time I INTENTIONALLY created a new opportunity? .......(To prove there are opportunities everywhere, simply ask me, Brian Larson, about the one that changed the course of my life forever - I can offer you the same opportunity, simply send me an email to brian@brianlarson.life saying that you are ready to explore a new opportunity and add an additional revenue stream to your income.)
- Sell my information online - I have value to give others. Learn how I can create systems and funnels online that work for me 24/7. Two years ago I decided to get into the game and entered the online world. I knew the online world had the potential to give me what I yearned for - FREEDOM. I had absolutely no idea how to start, where to start or what to do. That did not stop me, I simply asked myself, "How do I start? How do I create a website, create sales funnels, email marketing, Facebook advertising?" I then just started to learn. JUST START!
- Break free from always having to trade my time for money. I can have money work FOR me and/or I can CREATE systems and sales funnels that work 24/7 without my presence, making me money. That's how I will create real TIME FREEDOM. Learn more with my video "The #1 Way to Create Financial Freedom."
- Sell products on Amazon or Ebay. Do I know how to do this? Nope, but if I wanted to create more sources of income, I would learn how. The point is that there are opportunities to create more income, EVERYWHERE.
- Create an Ebook and sell it online.
- Create an online course (what can you teach OTHERS?)
- Actively seek out and research network marketing companies that represent your values and beliefs....then begin!
3. DID I IMPROVE MY HEALTH AND FITNESS? AM I LEAN, STRONG, FIT AND HEALTHY? OR IS MY HEALTH AND FITNESS JUST "OK?"
Be honest, am I in the best physical condition that I could be? Am I truly optimizing my health, fitness and performance? If we want to unlock our true potential then we NEED to optimize our health and fitness - period. If we think that we can continue to put our health and fitness on the back burner without any kinds of consequences, we are naive. Our health and fitness negatively or positively affects our relationships, our production and income, our mood, our focus, our energy, our sex drive, our confidence, our social lives, our personal power, our life experiences.....Everyone deserves to feel fully alive, vibrant, healthy and fit but you are not entitled to it. It must be earned. It's not going to magically land in our laps, it must be earned - each day. It's time to make healthy, lean and fit who you ARE - your lifestyle. You deserve it.
Things I can do:
- Hire a personal trainer or nutrition & fitness coach - it's worth it. What you will learn from a GOOD personal trainer or fitness coach in just 2-3 months will serve you for a lifetime. It's an investment that will pay you dividends for years to come. How many times have you tried, by yourself, to take your health, fitness & body to another level, only to eventually fall right back to where you started? It's time for a mentor and some accountability. If you want help with this you can explore my nutrition and fitness programs: KingsmanStrong and 60-day Fit Chick Challenge.
- Change your identity. What do I mean? Watch a video where I cover this in detail: The Truth About Losing Weight & Diets. In short, we will never experience LASTING change until we change our identity. We will be healthy, fit and lean for life ONLY if we shape an identity of healthy, fit and lean.
- Join a gym that provides a class or a semi-private training environment that is welcoming and FRIENDLY so that you can simply show up and not have to think about what you should be doing and begin to associate with healthy and fitness minded people. If you become a part of a fit community it will make it VERY difficult to NOT become fit and healthy yourself. Be intentional with who you associate with!
- Get serious with your nutrition and learn about proper supplementation to optimize your health, energy and performance. Start by dropping the breads, pastas, and sugary cereals, muffins, pasteries etc.... Start eating more greens, drinking more water, eating more grass fed and free range proteins, and eating healthy fats.
- Start meditating 20 min each day. This will change your life alone, guaranteed.
- Walk in nature a minimum of 2x per week for 40min+.
- Stop consuming artificial sweeteners such as: Sucralose and aspartame. These are found in so many foods it's disgusting and so many Americans are unaware of this. Read the ingredient list! Almost all low-calorie or "sugar-fee" products use these toxic and cancer producing sweeteners. Don't touch them!
4. DID I STRETCH AND CHALLENGE MYSELF? WHAT ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I DID THAT PUSHED ME BEYOND MY COMFORT ZONE?
Did I say 'Yes' to something or do something that scared the shit out of me? Something that I thought I was not "ready" for? Something that made me feel extremely uncomfortable or did I just keep doing the things that I'm good at?
The only way that we can fulfill our greatest potential is to continue to learn, grow, develop and stretch ourselves. And the only way to do this is to continue to step out into the unknown and beyond what is comfortable to us.
Things I can do:
- Learn a new skill. What's a skill that I can LEARN that will move my life forward? Examples: Writing sales copy, online marketing, cold calling, public speaking, social media marketing, creating a website, writing a book, making a documentary, eating healthy, writing, weight lifting, communication, Excel spreadsheets, accounting, Facebook ads....it's endless, we just have to be aware and intentional about striving for new levels and new skills in our lives.
- Move to a new city or state.
- Take on a new job or career. You know if this is for you...deep down you know. It's time to step up and silence the fearful voice that you hear inside your mind that is sabotaging you from the extraordinary life that you deserve and desire.
- Say 'Yes' to that project that we've been avoiding or thinking that "I'm not competent or ready to start or take on." Bullshit, it's time to step outside of the comforts of our core competencies and step into the unknown.
- Ask her or him out.
- Get out of the toxic relationship or the relationship that you know is going nowhere but it's comfortable for you to stay in it. Read about this in more depth with my article: "How a One-Way Ticket Can Forever Change Your Life"
- Travel solo. And if you really want to stretch, travel internationally and solo. It will change your life, just as it did mine!
- Take dance lessons, guitar lessons....especially if you think "That's not for me."
5. DID I HAVE FUN OR DID I SIMPLY GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS, JUST DOING WHAT I HAD TO DO.
Was 2016 consumed with worry, stress, doubt, boredom and/or fear? Did I create lasting memories? Are there moments where I simply found myself in awe and gratitude?
Things I can do:
- Take ownership over my attitude, experiences, mood and gratitude. It's time to master my mind and psychology because happiness, joy and lasting memories don't just land on our lap, we CREATE and GENERATE them. We must take 100% ownership over our life situation and mental state. When this happens, I'll experience total liberation.
- Meditate 20min per day. You'll begin to master your mind versus it mastering you. Taking control of your mind and psychology is the most powerful thing you can do to create a life of abundance, happiness, health, joy, wealth and love.
- Read the book titled: The Power of Now. By Ekhart Tolle. It's life transforming.
6. HOW MANY BOOKS DID I READ THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MY DEVELOP AS A PERSON AND FULFILLING MY GREATEST POTENTIAL?
With the spare time that I did have, how did I spend it? Was the majority of my free time spent watching Netflix, News, and TV series? Reading gossip magazines? Or was I intentional about the information that I consumed? Do I ask myself, "How is this going the help me improve the quality of my life? Will this make me a better person or am I just consuming mindless things and information?"
Things I can do:
- Stop consuming entertainment 100% of the time and start consuming educational material.
- Become intentional about what I let into my mind. Turn off the negative rich news. Cancel the subscription to US Weekly or People and subscribe to the magazine Success. Begin to flood my brain with mind stimulating material that will add value to my life and aid in my development as a person. A good guide to whether or not you should be watching, reading or listening to something is to ask yourself, "Will watching/reading/listening to this make me a better person, will I learn something new, will it positively impact my life and move my life forward?"
- Stop listening to the radio every single time I'm in the car and begin to listen to self-development/business/finance/spirituality podcast or audio books.
- Start reading a minimum of 1 book per month. Books that will help us develop a skill, expand our mind, and develop as a person. How will this book help me fulfill my greatest potential or am I reading it for entertainment? Some of my all time favorite books that changed the course of my life are:
- The Power of Now; by Ekhart Tolle
- New Earth; by Ekhart Tolle
- The Motivation Manifesto; by Brendon Burchard
- The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari; By Robin Sharma
- Untethered Soul; by Michael Singer
7. DID I IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF MY ASSOCIATION (WHO I HANG OUT WITH). AM I ASSOCIATING WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING A LIFE THAT I DESIRE AND PUSHING ME TO BECOME A BETTER ALL AROUND PERSON? OR AM I CONTINUING TO HANG OUT WITH THE SAME PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S COMFORTABLE?
Truth!
When I take a look around, do I spend the majority of my time with the same people that I did 10 years ago? If so, then there's a good chance that I'm not growing to the capacity that I'm capable of. If I haven't outgrown some of my friends then I'm not growing. When I look at the people that I hang out with, are they big thinkers, dreamers and doers? Do they aspire for greatness themselves or do they simply go to work, maybe hit the gym 1-2x per week, come home, eat, watch TV and sleep, and then get excited for the weekend coming around the corner? Do I envy their life situation?
Do they still live the clubbing life? Do they have unhealthy habits, have little interest in health or nutrition? Have little ambition to improve as a person. Never talk about their greatest dreams and desires? Over weight? Negative? Talk negatively about others? Superficial? Complaining about their lives all the time? Live paycheck to paycheck? If so, then there's a high probability that I will follow suit or are currently living as such already - they are not positively influencing my life or my personal development.
Am I the dumbest one in the room, because I need to be if I aspire for greatness and an extraordinary life. Are my friends happy, healthy (not talking about unpreventable medical issues) and wealthy? If not, I must find and befriend those who are!
Things I can do:
- Start protecting my time and who I allow into my inner circle. Spend less time with those who are simply going through the motions in life and then intentionally seek out those who aspire for greatness, who continually strive to become better and positively impact those around them and the world.
- Start going to the places where the successful are such as:
- Seminars
- Workshops
- Networking Events
- Masterminds
- Hire a coach - a coach that has DONE what I aspire to do and is LIVING how I aspire to live.
- Find a mentor - follow a mentor that has done what I want to do. Someone that has produced the RESULTS that I seek.
8. DID I IMPROVE THE LIFE OR LIVES OF OTHERS DURING 2016? WHO WERE THEY AND WHAT DID I DO TO HELP THEM?
Can I name and think about the people that I have positively impacted and served? Has anyone reached out to me saying, "Thank you. Your message/talk/speech/blog post/article/video/product/service/inspiration/motivation/time/outlook did _____________ for me."
Things I can do:
- Be intentional about my outlook each day by asking myself the following questions, "Who can I help/serve today?"
- Be intentional about how I show up during interactions by asking myself the following question before I talk with anyone, "How do I want them to remember me? How would I want them to describe me to someone else after having talked with me? Who do I WANT to BE?
- Inspiring?
- Caring?
- Loving?
- Motivating?
- Creative?
- Fun or funny?
To often we show up in the world randomly. We loose sight of who we really WANT to be. We forget the fact that we can and should be intentional as to how we show up in the world. Self-creation is the power that we hold.
- Start sharing my knowledge and story with the world. I have a message and it's time that I share it. I know that at least one person will be able to relate to my message/story and this has the potential to positively impact their life. What have I accomplished and/or what have I been through that could help others?
- Got out of massive credit card debt?
- Have a happy, healthy, loving and intimate relationship?
- Made it through depression?
- Came back from a terrible breakup or divorce?
- Came back from bankruptcy?
- Have a successful business?
- Have successfully raised 2 kids without losing my mind?!
- Almost divorced my husband/wife but now live a happy, loving and passionate life with him/her?
- Created a 6-figure busines before the age of 30?
- Found a way to 'Fire my boss' and work from wherever I want, when I want?
I have something to give, I just need to look. I have a message, I just have to look. I then need to share it with others or the world, for I know that it can help those who are living where I once was. If I don't share, I'm not scared, I'm just being selfish.
9. DID I ACT ON NEW OPPORTUNITIES, OR DID I CONTINUE DOING WHAT I ALWAYS DO.... DAY-AFTER-DAY.
Did I take any risks last year? Did I take bold and courageous action on anything? My personal life, my fitness, my relationships, my professional life, my business - any of these, did I seize or create a new opportunity? Or is my personal life, my fitness, my relationships, my professional life, my business, my finances all relatively the same?
Things I can do:
- Start making intentional, bold and courageous action!
- Start saying, 'Yes' to the things that scare me or make me feel uncomfortable.
- Start planning my exit to this career that I know is not my passion and not my life's work. I know that I have so much more to offer others and the world during my time here. I am so much more than what I'm doing right now. I have more to give. It's time that I act on it!
- Start that new course or class. Start learning that new skill. Start that blog. Start that website. Start that business. Start writing that book. Start making those videos. Start learning photography. I just need to START! It's so simply, but I often ignore the following fact; If I don't start something new or create something new, I will continue to get and experience what I always have. I want more...I want greatness...I want an extraordinary life....I want to fulfill my greatest potential.
- Move to that city and state that you have always dreamed of! Shit, I'm going to die anyway! What am I doing just going through the motions, day-after-day, year-after-year, living where I've always lived?! There's so much to see, do and experience in this world....and it will soon be over, with no replay button. Why am I not going?!
- Take that dream vacation. Shit, I'm going to die anyway! What am I doing just going through the motions, day-after-day, year-after-year!? There's so much to see, do and experience in this world....and it will soon be over, with no replay button. Why am I not going?!
10. DID I CREATE MORE FREEDOM IN MY LIFE? FREEDOM TO DO WHAT I WANT, ON MY TERMS AND WHEN I WANT? OR AM I CONTINUING TO BE A SLAVE TO SOMEONE ELSE AND THEIR DREAMS?
Do I continue to trade my time for a paycheck? How many times did I want to do something during 2016, but found myself saying to myself or others, "I wish. But I can't because _____time/work/no vacation time/money?" This does NOT have to be my reality. I'm choosing it to be, because I'm accepting it as my reality. There is a better way. There IS a way to live life on my own terms, doing what I want, and when I want. I need to stop depending on my time and presence for income. I need to CREATE!
Things I can do:
- Save for an investment that will enable me to have my money WORK FOR ME, vs me working for money all the time.
- Start investing in income producing assets - but until I have that ability, the absolute best asset that I can invest in is MYSELF. For when I invest in my skills, knowledge and personal development that will equip me with the potential power for CREATING these income producing assets = financial and time freedom.
- Create additional income streams. Create residual income. I can join a credible network marketing company with high integrity (This changed the course of my life forever and provided me real freedom. If you want to chat about this doing the same for you send me an email at brian@brianlarson.life). I can create online products that run on systems/sales funnels 24/7 without my presence.....My only limit is my imagination and current potential and so, it's my duty to expand my potential by investing in my OWN development.
- Smash the mindset and belief that one hour = $______ e.i. hourly wage. Or 1 year of my work/effort is worth $_______ e.i salary. There are only so many hours and only so many years that I can trade for money. I must stop this scarcity belief and learn that money can and WILL work for me. I just need to change my belief system. I must learn the concepts of residual and passive income. Success leaves clues and I've noticed that those who have real TIME & Financial freedom do not trade their time for money. They have multiple streams of income and multiple income producing assets. Their money works for them.
- Read the book 'Money Master the Game' by Toni Robbins.
- Start saving a minimum of 10% of my income BEFORE taxes. Save for an INVESTMENT, an investment that produces INCOME. If it doesn't produce income, I'm losing an opportunity (opportunity cost) becausee I would be tying up capital that has the potential to produce income. Multiple sources of income that doesnt' require my presence = financial and time freedom.
11. WHAT NEW HEALTHY HABIT(S) AND ROUTINE(S) DID I ADD DURING 2016?
I know that my habits and routines will ultimately shape my destiny. So, are my habits and routines positively impacting my life? What healthy habits and routines do I have, if any? Did I add any new ones during this last year or do I continue to:
- Drink too much. Have ___ beers/wine/cocktail every night.
- Eat too much.
- Have something sweet after dinner.
- Watch _____ TV show. Read _____ trashy magazine.
- Put creamer, sugar or sweetener in my coffee
- Have a pastry or junk cereal for breakfast or skip breakfast
- Smoke or chew tobacco
- Use my credit card for unnecessary purchases
- Spend everything that I earn or more then I earn.
- Think negatively. "I could never do ____. That's not for me. I'm not like that. I'll never have _____."
- Hit snooze. Rush through the morning to get to work on time.
- Lay in bed sifting through social media before bed.
- Wake up and immediately check my phone. My emails and/or start scrolling through social media.
Things I can do:
- Implement a healthy and productive morning routine (The Kingsman Morning Routine) that will positively impact my days and unlock my true potential by reducing stress, improving my mood and health, and boosting my mood and productivity. You can start tomorrow, learn about the morning routine that's a game changer - HERE.
- Start eating more greens/vegetables
- Start drinking 20oz of water as soon as you wake up
- Start meditating 20min each day
- Start exercising 3x per week
- Start taking half of the bun off my sandwich
- Stop drinking juices, sodas, diet sodas, sweeteners etc...
- Start taking contrast showers (before you get out of the shower, turn the water to as cold as you can stand and stay in for as long as you can stand...it hurts but you will feel completely ALIVE!)
- Start reading a minimum of 10 pages of mind enhancing material, each day
- Watch only 30min-1hr of TV MAX each day.
- Start sending text messages to those that I care about, at least 1x each week. Just to let them know that I appreciate them.
- Start having date night with my significant other
- Start writing a blog post 1x per week to share my message and story to help others. Or write each day so I can begin that book.
- Fast or cleanse my body of toxins 1x per week
- Go for a 15-30 min morning walk.
As we go through each question and come up with an honest answer, we can start to clearly see why we got the results that we did in 2016. Now, you may have killed it! If you did, I honor you and at the same time, I challenge you. It's time to take it to another level in 2017.
Or maybe you went through the questions and you're starting to gain some clarity as to why you're not where you anticipated being in life. Clarity is power, my friend. 2017 is a new year.
So as you look at those 11 questions, ask yourself, "How do I want to answer these questions come December of 2017?"
Then you must know how you're going to make those answers a reality. Too many of us drift through our lives, letting the year just pass us by. Never coming up with a plan. Never knowing how to actually improve the quality of our lives or develop as a person. Then we wonder why we are unsatisified, wanting more money, sex, love, happiness, purpose, power and freedom.
It's time to crush it in 2017! It's time to take everything to an entirely new level. Never forget that one moment, one decision, and one year can forever change the course of your life.
If you'd like to change some of your answers, come 2017, lets take action. I'm going to personally help those ready for change and those ready to unlock their true potential, do just that. Will you be one of them?
If so, I encourage you to Join Kingsman Academy to optimize and unlock your true potential in all domains of your life: mind, health & fitness, lifestyle.
It's time to THRIVE in 2017, my friend. Never forget that you have the power to create the answers that you desire!
Think Different - Live Different
Brian Larson
B.S. Human Performance; Psychology
Ulocking Your Potential
Creator of Kingsman Academy