Hi Reader,

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How was January for you? Long? Bleak? Tiring?

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And how are your New Year's resolutions or new projects faring? Early promise? Half-forgotten? Feeling muddled?

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It certainly felt like an unusually long month, and after Dry January (which I do most years), I'm looking forward to a beer. But I'm here to tell you that the dates don't matter. If you're trying to develop new habits, then there are two ways to feel about a lack of progress so far in 2025. You can choose.

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Abundance or scarcity.

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The scarcity mindset is how the advertisers would love you to feel, all of the time. It says "I'm not doing enough, there isn't enough time, I'm not enough". It tells us "Ohhh, it's February and I still haven't made any progress". We beat ourselves up and worry about consequences that we've fabricated in our own minds.

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And then there's the abundance mindset. It tells us there is enough time, we are doing enough, and there is enough. It tells us there's joy and self-expression in doing more, but no shame or guilt needed if we don't. It tells us that February is the new January. It's not too late to make a start, change a habit, or build something better.

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Each day and each week, regardless of where the sun happens to be in the sky, we get to start again. We get to choose action over inaction. We get to make things happen. But also, we can do it from a place of confidence and feeling secure - we're taking action not because we need to do more to feel better, but because the contribution we are making is its' own reward.

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So if you're feeling like it's been the longest month in the world and yet you STILL don't have the progress you want, then I invite you to rethink. Perhaps you are telling yourself that you're 'falling behind', or 'not making progress', or need to do more to be more. If so, then remember as we head into February, that you get to choose whether the scarcity stories or the abundance stories win out in your head.

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The abundance mindset would say that you still have time in 2025. There's still all to play for. There are still so many ways to change the world - and right now, the world needs you to try.

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So as the year kicks into gear, the choice is yours. Scarcity or abundance. Just know that whichever you choose, it'll govern your relationship to everything else you think.

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And speaking of February being the new January, I'm here to help.

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At the end of this month, I'll be running my annual 6 Weeks to Ninja programme. It's designed to be flexible around busy jobs, but still 'deep' enough to make fundamental changes to your habits - all with the idea that how we think about our work can turn stress and doubt into clarity, control and confidence. I walk you through implementing the CORD productivity model from How to be a Productivity Ninja - helping you...

• Capture your ideas
• Organise everything in your work and life
• Review and make good decisions so you make space for what matters, and
• Do the right stuff without procrastination.

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We'll also cover work-life balance, managing your energy and loads more. If that sounds appealing, then tickets are here.​

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We start on the 26th Feb. It's two hours each week on Zoom, and then a Whatsapp group where I answer your questions, and we all hold each other accountable (more info here). Hope to see you on the 26th.

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Have a great week,

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Graham

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