5 Things to Look for This Year

These five things undergird all your goals and plans. Look for them, and you will find them.

You get what you look for.

I’m not a believer in the law of attraction per se; however, it’s pretty basic human nature to see what you want to see and what you’re expecting to see.

You’ve experienced it yourself and you’ve probably heard of numerous studies that prove the point: Your mindset can influence the way you perceive literal, physical objects (as this study demonstrates), lead you to ignore information or experiences that contradict what you believe to be true (known as confirmation bias), and, by reinforcing neural pathways in your brain, shape the way you interpret all your experiences. You’ve probably seen one of the many famous video experiments on how you can miss crazy things happening right in front of your face because you’re focused on something else. Personally, I’m ashamed to admit the number of times I’ve been late for an appointment, frantically running around looking for my keys, only to discover they are right in my hand because that’s not where I expected them to be. (Front pocket of my purse — if the keys aren’t there, I’m toast.)

As they say, “What you focus on expands.” But we all have mental habits. We’re hardwired to take mental shortcuts and to follow the neural path of least resistance, which — just like in the wilderness — is the path that’s been trodden before. So chances are, without making some intentional changes in your awareness, you will look for, focus on, and find the same things you always have. When my keys aren’t where I expect them to be, I have to change how I look if I want any hope of finding them.

What do you want more of? While your specific goals are unique to you, like most of us you probably want to increase the good things in life: You want to feel better emotionally and physically. You want stronger relationships. You want more money and time to enjoy it. You want to grow — intellectually, spiritually, professionally.

To achieve those things, sometimes you have to cut things or responsibilities or hobbies or habits — or even people — out of your life. That can be brutal. And absolutely necessary. But instead of focusing on what you want less of, focus on the good things you want more of. Not only…