Every year we make new year’s resolutions, vision boards and set new goals. The closer it gets to New Year’s eve the more excited we get about all the amazing things we’re going to accomplish. As New Year’s eve hits we celebrate in our own way. As the clock ticks to midnight we all count down. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1……….HAPPY NEW YEAR! Within seconds it’s a new year and everyone is declaring they’re a new person. I wish it was that easy, at the tic of a clock we all could be made new, instantly. However, if you’re going to be a game changer in 2018 you must put in some work and develop an action plan of how to get there. Let’s not just declare that we are game changers in 2018 but let’s put in the work so that we can actually change the game. Here are five practical steps along with a free guide to becoming a game changer in 2018.

1.)   Leave the extra dead weight in 2017.

Let go of people who don’t add value to your life. There is a quote I love by Les Brown that says “if you’re the smartest person in your group you need to get a new group.” Surround yourself with people who cause you to be better and push you to greatest. Cut down on the negative Nancy’s and the ones who are always doubting you.  It’s hard to change the game when your own teammates are not inspiring you to reach your goals. You don’t have to cut them off completely. You just need to put some people on the bench so you can keep going hard in 2018. And be sure to leave them on their bench until they can cheer you on. You may even need to make some substitutions of people in your life. The next thing to do is work on destroying your bad habits. You don’t want to go into 2018 with anything that will prevent you from reaching your greatness.

let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1

Other dead weight may be extra emotions that you’re still holding onto or still haven’t fully dealt with. In the words of my mentor “you can decide how long it will take you to get over something.” Make the choice today to leave all of your emotions, issues, and struggles in 2017. We still have a few days left until the new year. So now is the time to get all of those extra emotions out. Scream, yell, cry, go work out and do whatever you need to do to get it out. After you scream and cry it out, take it to the Lord and prayer.

Affirmation #1

I will choose not to go into 2018 with the same emotions, issues and struggles as I held onto  in 2017. I will place the people in my life who do not add value on the bench in 2018. I will not sub them back in until they are able to add value to my life and cheer me on. Today I choose to lay them all aside and put up the power that Christ has given me to be free and stay free. I have the mind of Christ and I have the power to choose what I allow into my mind. (1 Corinthians 2:16, 2 Corinthians 10:5)

2.) Live for you and be unapologetically you

In 2018, don’t allow the thoughts and opinions of what others think stop you from reaching your greatness. If you want to start operating at your highest level possible you can’t allow the opinions of others to influence your decisions. I’m not saying that you cannot receive counsel about life changing decisions but you have to stop letting the actions of others dictate how you feel and how you live your life. God created you the way you are for a specific reason and purpose. Don’t change or try to mold yourself into someone or something else.

Affirmation #2

I am fearfully and wonderfully made.(Psalm 139:14) I am God’s masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10) I have power over my emotions and how I feel. (2 Corinthians 10:5-7) I have power to choose how I want my life to be. My worthiness and future is not dependent on the opinions of others. The actions of others does not determine my worth or value.

Nobody can tell you how you’re supposed to feel. You know yourself better than anyone else. Don’t allow anyone to stray you away from your path to becoming a game changer. Stop letting others determine the course of your life. You determine the course of your own life.   

In 2018, ask God to give you the boldness and relentlessness to go after the things you want. Match your faith with your expectations of what you are chasing after. Then have the faith that you will obtain it and then put the work in to get it. It will not come by faith alone, you have to match your work ethic to your faith. 

You can’t have million dollar faith with a one dollar work ethic.

3.) Realize your true identity

The reason we fail to reach our goals or walk in our true greatness is we don’t really believe that we can operate at the level. Or we don’t believe God enough to help us get there. In 2018, you have to kill self doubt. Believe what the word of God says about you, speak it over your life and then apply it to your life. 

Affirmation #3

I am what the word of God says I am. I am a game changer. I am greatness and I am the righteousness of Christ. (Write 10 more I am statements about yourself.)

When you don’t know your true identity you become fair game for others to mold you into what they want to. If the enemy can get you to question your identity this will give him the upper hand to put you on a path where you will never reach your greatness. The enemy will only get you to doubt yourself when he realizes that you are on the path to becoming a game changer.

Action Step

If you don’t know your identity get in the word of God and see what it says about you. Open your Bible and find scriptures that support what you want to do or that inspire your goals. Then write affirmations that incorporate those specific scriptures. The more you speak them out loud the more they will destroy your self doubt and the more it will build your faith. If you still don’t believe it, just keep saying them and the more you say them the more you will start to believe it.

4.) Map out how you’re going to be a game changer in 2018

Start doing this by asking yourself self discovery questions. When you go to the doctor they ask you a millions questions so they can determine the condition of your health. Those questions help determine the best course of action to take. Before mapping out a plan you need to figure out how your emotional health was in 2017. Then you’ll know the best course of action to take in 2018. You don’t want to make the same mistakes you made in 2017. Here are a few self discovery questions you can ask yourself. (Download our 4 page guide to becoming a game changer here for free)

Self Discovery Questions

•      a.) What does the ideal (insert your name here) look like?
•      b.) What am I doing right now that is preventing me from getting to the ideal (insert your name here)

•      c.) What negative or false beliefs do I believe about myself that are holding me back from getting to my ideal self?
•      d.) What steps do I need to take to get to the ideal (insert your name here)?
•      e.) What areas in my life do I think still need to be healed and why? (This could be emotional, mental, spiritual or even physical.)

○      If you think all the areas of your life are completely healed, dig a little deeper. Usually when you resort to bad habits or addictive behavior (doesn’t have to be drugs) that means something inside of you is hurting that still needs to be healed. That bad habit could be drugs, people, anger, violence, food, physical pleasure, laziness, etc. The root of all addiction is pain. Addictive behaviors and habits usually start when we start to seek happiness outside of ourselves. (See video here about letting Jesus fill you up. View more videos here)

•     f.) When you resort to (blank) habits or feel (blank) emotions, how does it cause me to react?
•    g.) View answers from question e.)  What triggers me to feel this way? Or what am I usually doing when I start to feel this way or resort to this habit?
•   h.) What am I doing that is hindering my healing process?

5.) Only You Can Determine how you want 2018 to go

You have the power to determine how you want your 2018 to go. You can decide to start the year with the same things you dealt with in 2017 or you can choose to start fresh. The choice is solely up to up.

Action Step

Write a short summary of how you want your 2018 to go. Include goals for emotional, physical, spiritual, mental and career and personal goals.

Remember you have the power to decree/speak a thing and it comes to past. But know that it has to be in the will of God for it to come to past. You may be saying I don’t know the will of God for my life. Here a quick tip, if it doesn’t line up or goes against  the word of God it is not the will of God for your life.

As I always say now Go and Be Great. I hope you enjoyed post from Yolanda Carter of Majestic Royalty. It is always my goal to inspire you to greatness and help you remember there is life after divorce or whatever obstacle you have encountered in life.

Download your free copy of my ebook “Year of The Game Changer” A Self Discovery Guide to Unlocking Your Inner Greatness.  Click Here