Welcome to 2014 and a happy new year to those celebrating Chinese New Year, the year of the Horse.

I’d like to start by sharing with you an interesting conversation I had at the start of the New Year with a friend of mine - let’s call him Bill.  This is how the conversation went.

Bill: “How are things?”

Doug: “I’m optimistic.”

Bill: “You’re always optimistic, Doug.”

Doug: “Yes, I suppose it’s in my nature.”

Bill: “I recently read some research that suggested a positive nature and outlook will generally bring positive results.  Being content in ourselves, self-confidence, knowing where we are going and how we’ll get there make us more likely to achieve our goals.  It’s also good practice to focus on being happy now, rather than saying ‘when I achieve my goals, I’ll be happy.’”

The attitude Bill was referring doesn’t come naturally to all of us, but it’s a worthy aim as we look to new challenges in the year ahead.  Regular readers may recall I wrote to our Prime Minister, Tony Abbott soon after he was elected in September last year.  I subsequently received a response, including a hand written note from the PM – those interested can click here to read it.

It’s up to each of us to make our own hay. So here’s to a happy and successful year ahead!

If you would like us to help you realise your goals, please get in touch.