We’re 6 months into the year. It’s time for a pep talk…
It was my birthday this week.
What’s struck me more than ever this year is that my birthday marks the halfway point of the year, and so I’ve since come to think of this as ‘half-time’.
In sport, the talk that a coach will give his team at half-time is very different from the one they would have gotten going into the first half of the game.
When starting out we ask, “What’s going to make this year better than the last?”.
Now we’re midway in, we need to adjust course based on what’s now happened and where we are in the plan.
When you look back and ask yourself if you’ve achieved the things you wanted to have achieved by this stage in the year, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the urge to want to write off the rest of the year before you’ve even begun playing the second half.
I know I’ve been a little frustrated at myself at there being a few things I’ve wanted to get done that I’m yet to get to.
There are certain projects that I still haven’t been able to start, and I have to accept the reality that I may have been overly ambitious with a few things.
But here’s the thing…
At the end of June, there are six months left in the year.
184 days to play with.
184 days to be productive, to be efficient, to go out and love, to have adventure, to do new things, to build an amazing life, to work towards your goals…
And this is time that we all share in, right now, that we all have in the palms of our hands.
If we focus on frustration from not having achieved what we wanted to have achieved by this point, we’re never likely to achieve what we have the potential to achieve throughout the second half of the game.
To combat this, I’ve looked at three areas of focus to help in making the next 6 months what I want them to be personally for me. I hope in sharing them they will serve you in doing likewise…
1) Know your weaknesses
–What are the biggest weaknesses that you need to combat?
For me it’s: distraction, the feeling of overwhelm, losing touch with those I love, not sticking to daily habits, and not re-focusing on goals every day.
Awareness of our weaknesses allows us to bring attention to them and see the pitfalls that we would otherwise drive into if we weren’t able to anticipate them.
2) Know what drives you
The quickest way to lost motivation is to lose the connection you have with the reason for why you’re doing something.
We’ve all had days where we’ve felt incredibly productive. What was the difference? It’s likely that our focus was in a different place – set on something that drove us in an extraordinary way, and gave us the zest to go out and conquer in whatever it is we went on to do.
–How can you bring that feeling back into your every day life over the course of the next 6 months?
3) Renew your goals
The need to feel creative and that we’re making progress can lead us to coming up with new sets of goals, before ever having rounded off our last.
I recently heard someone say that…
“It’s better to go back to old resolutions than to keep creating new ones.”
And I think this is so true.
Coming up with new goals gives us the feeling that we’re being creative and that we’re evolving, when sometimes the biggest point of leverage we have is in going back to a set of goals that we’ve long since abandoned and taking them on with a new rigour, energy and determination.
–What goals / habits have you lost touch with? (that if you could get back, would really make the difference in your life)
We can all make this into the most incredible year of our lives.
I hope you’re excited. Here’s to the rest of the year!
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Question of the day: What is your #1 goal / area of focus for the rest of 2013?
Let me know in the comments!
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Matthew. I hope you had a fabulous, delicious, delightful birthday – and that each day you have a little taste of lovely.
Thanks for the pep talk, it was perfect for me. As I am combining many of the suggestions and techniques from the training, your TV appearances, and my experiences. The possibilities are building, and choices are becoming more wonderful.
You, my dear, totally rock! Sending a big hug!
Beth
You’re so sweet Beth! Thanks a ton : )
x
You really inspire me!! I really admire you and love all your videos!
Thank you Denisse :)
x
Hi Matt,
I was just thinking about this at the start of last week. This year hasn’t exactly turned out how I had planned and hoped. Thank you for posting this. It has given me a little more to think about.
Amelia x
Thanks Amelia, hope you’re well : )
x
Happy Birthday Matt, may your feet take you where your heart wants to go, and may you have all the happiness the day can hold.
Thank you once again for motivating us and bring us up to speed with the real world. You are amazing!
Thanks so much Freeda, and right back at you! : )
x
Was my birthday too, yesterday in fact. June bugs are the best.
Haha amazing. Happy belated Gabrielle! : )
x
And to you too, Matt.
Thank you so much for this, Matthew. I’ve never posted here before, but felt compelled to do so today. I *love* the concept of a half-time talk, as it allows me to re-evaluate and adjust my goals based on what the “defense” (life in general) has tossed my way. i recently moved to Europe from the US to pursue my passion, and it hasn’t gone the way I’ve hoped, so I can perhaps relate to some of your disappointments from earlier this year. But there’s still a lot of time on the clock, isn’t there? :) (Oh, my #1 goal: expressing myself without fear, in both my art and my daily life.) Thanks again, and happy birthday!
Hi Erika,
Firstly I want to commend you on going after what you wanted, that’s so awesome to hear! Secondly, never forget how strong you were to make the decisions that you did and that your past exactly as you said, something you can use and evaluate what your next steps are. I love your goal as well! thanks for the comment : )
x
Happy Birthday Matt
And thanks for this post! It just came at the right moment. Half time… I needed a motivstion boost from the coach.. Thanks!
x
Haha happy to have helped Sonia ; )
x
Hello! A late Happy Birthday to you Matt!! =)
Thank you again for great advice! Time to regroup! My goal after having gotten out of a longterm relationship recently is to find myself again and decide what I shall study next year.
xx /K
Hey Matt, interning with would be my goal for the second half of this year! Do you think we can make that happen!? :) If that’s not in your plans for the year, no hard feelings…I will still be cheering for your success. ;)
Ps. This is the Lauren from Chicago whose friend Natalie gave you her number ;) haha.
Happy Birthday Matt!!!! Hope you had a great one…
Thanks for your post, we all need someone to pick us up and get us motivated again and you never disappoint… I love your energy and enthusiasm you have for people and for life…. Amazing… I love watching your clips they give me the daily boost I need and start my days off on a happy note…
Keep up the good work – there are loads of us out here appreciating it!!!
Lots of love xx
This made me feel really good! B/c even though a relationship didn’t work out the way I was hoping… I realized.. HEY! I started off the year single and I already met an great guy and had a good experience with him, and I can do that again. And even though I’m not in love with my job, I’ve taken steps to find something I’ll love… SO my first half HAS been a success :)
Have a really wonderful Birthday Matt!!:)
The most important thing for me right now is got out more and have fun…meet more peoples. I really love your work and actually I did try and made some new friends…I even post your work at my website (the website is promote Hawaii to China) . I have created a section about dating and relationship on the website and would love to put your work on the magazine too in the future.
I really believed would have that special ONE, who will with me for the rest of my life! We enjoy each other company, adventure and exciting for what we doing and sharing …..
Really appreciated your work Matt and wish see you soon!!
Please say Hi to my coach R. I looking forward to talk to him soon.
Happy Birthday Matthew it’s a little bit late but late than never (: Thanks for making this video i was thinking this week on that. Because a Girl from my class is good enough to go to a another school and all of my teachers was saying congratz and you did you best to make it …. And i was thinking and me than?? i was feeling that iv’e done nothing. In the moment i was feeling frusted and angry and useless. I was feeling That ive not done my best and that i was not good enough for everything. Because one time earlier i got that sitution in the past and this week again. It’s not that she dont deserve it. But sometimes you want the person be who get those compliments from others. And the people who work their bott off let we say it that way get always harder punished i think. But Thanks Matthew for making this video it was very motivated and it make my day good again Thanks so much <3
Happy birthday matt!!
My goal this year is to get you alone in the locker room at half time, just to hear more of your expert advice, obviously!!! ;0)
Or maybe to set more realistic goals hehe xx
Dear Matt,
Thanks so much for this helpful video! I can’t tell you how much I’ve been needing to hear exactly what you just explained. I love hearing and reading about your useful “get the guy” tips as well, but once in a while it’s absolutely wonderful to hear information that’s geared towards enriching your own personal wellness. After all, creating a better you brings you closer to the things you really want, right? I believe so. Anyway, thanks again. Looking forward to more great self help tips.
Much love and kindness,
Stephanie
Hi Matthew, I’m a new follower of yours, but just wanted to say thanks so much for this post and for the work you’re doing! I really needed to hear this today! In the past 6 months I’ve had to make challenging decisions that will result in big changes for me, and your positive, genuine, and humble attitude has been a wonderful source of inspiration. I think it takes a special person to seem like “that cute boy next door” even when you’re internationally known! :-) I hope to be able to come to one of your retreats. Thank you so much for sharing your outlook and insight. Happy New Half-Year! :-) xx Maren
Oops, and P.S. Happy belated birthday!
Hi Matthew. How cool are you! :) I watch your blogs and I find myself having to replay them at different times because I’ve gone off into my own thoughts about something you’ve mentioned. It takes an extraordinary person to do what you do. Keep smiling, you’re doing a terrific job!!
Beck x
Happy birthday!!! My birthday was recent as well. Although, if you’re a cancer, I MIGHT not be able to follow you anymore ;)
I don’t make conscious resolutions, I set out to change when I’ve had enough of a certain situation and I think I actually think I’m really close to where I want to be this year. Surprisingly so. But definitely good.
How old are you, birthday boy?
So true and dead on, Matthew! By far, one of your best… Focus is key to avoiding any distractions that may circumvent. By identifying these three areas, one becomes that much closer to spending time on what truly matters and fits. This focus is a positive and advantageous one that leads to a path of endless possibilities, while also grounding you into the present. We all need to be reminded from time to time. So, don’t sweat or stress the small stuff. And know that ambitious drive comes from the fire of your birth year/sign. ;-) Cheers and enjoy a wonderful birthday year…you’ve earned it!
What I love about this video is that it reminds me that “it ain’t over till it’s over” I realize that I’m in the bad habit of giving up on a goal if not achieved by a certain deadline. The truth is… Life is NOT the same thing as school. In school you get a certain grade at a certain point then you move on. It’s done. If you got an “A” you are an “A” student, if you got a “D” that defined you as an underachiever . But in life we can get a “D” and then choose to learn and grow until we get that “A”. So it’s not over we can still achieve . Thanks for this insight Mr. Hussey. Happy Birthday! If you are ever in the Los Angeles area please let me know where you are speaking next!