Yesterday, the My English Matters Team had our annual meeting where we talked about our plans for 2020. We also looked back at 2019 to review what went well, what didn’t go as planned and what we can improve–personally and also as an organisation.
As we were going through the agenda of our meeting, we came across some nuggets of wisdom. So I thought I’d share them with you. I hope you find these helpful as you plan your 2020.
1. Hard work can’t be copied.
We were talking about how the best things we produce come out of hard work. Sometimes they are not fun to produce. Doing the work can be stressful. But that’s when you create really valuable work.
A lot of people want amazing outcomes but they’re not willing to put in the hard work. So remember, people can copy your work, but they can’t copy the time, skill and energy you put into creating amazing work. And that’s what will get you ahead professionally and personally.
2. It’s the small and consistent habits that create the most value.
We always say this to our students and I’m going to say it here: change doesn’t happen overnight.
It takes small, consistent habits which may seem insignificant, but over time, they add up. You’ll start gaining the momentum and seeing the results if you keep showing up for it.
The situation you’re in right now–the good (and also the not-so-good)–is a result of the small, consistent actions you’ve been taking every day.
3. When you have a strong and clear vision, you’ll know what to say “yes” and “no” to.
It’s easy to say “yes” to everything when an opportunity looks appealing right now. But when you know your big goals and you have a clear long-term vision, it’ll be easier to say “no” to things that are not aligned with those goals.
Other people may not understand your decisions, but it’s okay. You do what you know is best for you.
I really love this quote by Warren Buffett, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
So there you have it. This is our last post of 2019. We will be back next week with our Thursday emails.
We wish you all the best for 2020 and enjoy the holidays with your friends and family.
