My Top 14 Takeaways from the Past 12 Months

I’m a big believer in the importance of reflection.

We all work so hard to achieve so much. It’s easy to bypass the act of reflecting. Don’t be guilty of this, though. I think it’s a critical and crucial step in a successful lifestyle. Reflection helps us appreciate and celebrate our achievements while also equipping us with wisdom, knowledge and expertise to apply in the future.

How deliberately do you reflect? How regularly do you do it?

I’ve still been reflecting quite a bit on my top takeaways from 2017. Sure, 2018 is in full swing, and yet there are still so many nuggets I can learn from in the midst of all that was accomplished last year.

In this post, I’ll summarize my personal takeaways for 2017, with the hopes you glean a new insight or inspiration in the process. And I’d love to learn from you and your recent reflections and top takeaways for 2017.

Tony Jeary’s Top Takeaways for 2017:

 
1. Leverage:
   Leverage is a concept many of my clients appreciate most, and it’s one I continually have to revise and improve as I grow. This past year, I experienced the power of leverage in a new way, seeing my HLAs (High Leverage Activities) manifest themselves in new ways, like an app, a new book (Strategic Eating) and increased client work.

   Are you focused on your HLAs? Do your schedule, and your RESULTS, show it?

2. Appreciation:
   I’m reminded constantly how much I personally want to be appreciated, and how much others want it, too. So I challenge myself to be the best at showing appreciation. There are so many ways to show appreciation: verbally, handwritten notes, texts, emails, shout-outs on social media … even writing on your kids’ bathroom mirror. The method doesn’t matter as much as the method does.

   How can you get even better at showing appreciation to others in your life?

3. No Excuses:
   I recently wrote about the “No Excuses” Factor. It’s such an important concept. I want to live a life of no excuses. Own it. Do what you say. Get it done, and get it done on time.

   How would you rate your “No Excuses” Factor?

4. Assemble Your Toolbox:
   My company has created quite a reputation for assembling some of the best tools for success on the planet and organizing them in a way that they’re easy to access at a moment’s notice. The TJI Arsenal now has over three decades of carefully curated and filtered material to best support our clients.

   Do you have a toolbox? How can you make it better? Add more tools, or just organize the ones you have in a more accessible way?

5. Elegant Solutions:
   When you can accomplish more than one objective with a single action or event, that’s what I call an elegant solution. You must be crystal clear on your life’s design and your goals in all areas for this to work (or else it’s just multi-tasking). A good example may be vacationing with a  business partner whose family you also admire, and whose parenting style you respect. It’s a win on multiple fronts.

   How can you incorporate more Elegant Solutions in 2018?

6. Self-Assess:
   Continually analyze your strengths and sweet spots. Ask for perspective from others who know you. Ask people who have known you for a while, and also those who have only known you for a few months. Reflect on the work you’ve done this past year, and look for your strengths. Identify those areas and double-down on them. Reach for mastery in your areas of strength, and dedicate more of your time in these areas this year.

   What type of work gets you in your “flow?” What work do others praise the most?

7. Seek God’s Favor:
   This one is foundational for me, and life is ultimately a journey toward living in alignment with our Creator’s purpose for us. Love God with all you have, and ask continually for His clarity, perspective and favor.

   How can you incorporate more spiritual clarity in your life?

8. Model the Best:
   I’m always looking to experience and learn from the best. I study what makes “the best” the best, and then I look for ways to apply those principles in a fresh way in my life and business. I want to model, adopt and even copy what’s already been established as the best.

   Who and what do you look to as “the best?” How can you model that in your life?

9. Be Intentionally Strategic About Everything:
   A lifelong mission for me is to establish a level of strategic alignment in all areas of my life that is simply unheard of. When you’re clear on what you value and how it determines your priorities, life can be streamlined and optimized. That’s what I want!

   How would you rate your intentionality when it comes to strategic alignment in your life?

10. Spend Time with People Who Sharpen You:
    All of us have several people in our lives with whom we spend hours upon hours over the course of a year. That time has a direct impact on your life, whether you want it to or not. I want every relationship in my life to sharpen me, and lift me up, and help me strive for becoming more.

    Do the relationships that get the most time in your life sharpen you the right way?

11. Hire to Match (or Exceed) Your Standards and Energy:
    I love my team, and I depend on them for so many things. It doesn’t make sense for each team member to be similar to me in everything, but it does make sense to hire people who want to work and live in a way that matches my own energy and standards. Otherwise, you’ll be constantly frustrated.

    How can you improve your team with higher standards and more energy?

12. Write More Thank-Yous:
    This takeaway is extremely practical and specific, but it’s also extremely impactful. I challenge myself to write thank-yous every day, and I challenge you to do the same. Gratitude has a way of blessing others and yourself in ways you never imagined.
     
    How will you write more thank-you notes this year?
     
13. Capture Very Important Points (VIPs) Immediately:
    For years, I’ve been documenting the VIPs in virtually everything I do. At the end of chapters in most of my books, you’ll find a half-page of VIPs that cover the main takeaways from that chapter. At the studio with clients, we capture VIPs during and at the end of every session.
     
    How can you make sure you capture the VIPs of important meetings every day?
     
14. Look for Creative Ways to Give:
    My motto is “Give Value, and Do More Than Is Expected.” While most hear that motto and think of my clients, I also want this mantra to apply to how I give back in every area of life. I’m constantly looking for ways to give back, whether that’s to individual people or to organizations. And sometimes, it’s more than just a donation. I get a kick out of finding ways to give in ways that has a multiplier effect on the people and organizations I’m giving to.
     
    What does “creative giving” look like in your life?
     

What were some of your top takeaways this past year? What is one or two from my list above that really hit home with you? I’d love to hear from you.