119 Ways To Make 2019 Your Best Year Yet!

Every year around this time of the year, there is incredible energy and enthusiasm for a brand New Year. And I share in your same excitement. I believe it’s because of the opportunity to start fresh. To start new. And to dream big dreams and cast out a wonderful vision. And to set strategy in place so that you can work like mad to make your dreams become a reality.

A few years ago, I wrote an article sharing my ideas on how YOU can create your biggest & BEST year yet. And I got great reviews on it. But this year, I went way DEEPER and more PERSONAL.

Today, I present to you my “119 Ways To Make 2019 Your Best Year Yet!” I hope it inspires you and ignites action in you to truly live out your best year and your best life.

As always, I would love your feedback and comments on the article. Please share which points below MOST RESONATE with you (please share at the bottom of the blog) and which ones are going to MOST help you craft up your best year and life.

Without further ado, here are my “119 Ways To Make 2019 Your BEST Year Yet!”:

1. Be the most positive person you know. Always! 🙂

2. If you need a new knee (or hip or anything else), get one!! 🙂

Seriously, address any of your health or medical concerns with the right medical team and take care of anything that’s bothering you. And if you need surgery as I did, attack your rehab like that of a pro athlete. I’m so grateful for my new knee (it was the best thing I did in 2018)!

3. Sit in a Lazy-Boy Chair for 4-weeks and pontificate life. Well, not really, but man did it help me GO DEEP on life. Take time AWAY to work ON you.

4. Success traps are harder to get out of than failure traps.

5. Change or die. Yes, it’s scary. But it must be done. What do you NEED to change in your business or life? And then make it!
(Check out my BIG changes of 2019 here… https://todddurkin.com/10696-2/)

6. Embrace FEAR. Face Everything and “Run” or Face Everything and “RISE”? #RiseUp #FearIsFuel #EyesUpRiseUp

7. Focus on what you DO want, not what you DON’T want.

8. People often overestimate what they can do in a year…and under-estimate what they can do in 10 years.

9. You can only GO, as far as you GROW. Here are a few ways to keep growing…

• Read at least one book per month. One a week if you are a hard-charger.
• Listen to a podcast most days of the week early in the morning when exercising or while driving to work.
• Journal for 3-minutes a day.
• Attend a LIVE event that you really want to!

10. Commit to one date a week with your spouse or significant other. OK, at least one date a MONTH with them. 🙂 (Remember, a date does NOT include the kids and you get to talk about things you talked about before you had kids. :)).

11. Have a date night or date breakfast with each of your kids. And fill your time with them in meaningful conversation talking about “deep stuff”… dreams, the “birds & the bees”, spirituality, beliefs, adversity, choices, or principles of life.

12. Who you do you want to be a hero to? Answer that and maniacally focus on BEING that!

13. You have to give up GOOD to get to GREAT!! #AverageIsTheEnemy

14. Define your “game-changing” move in 2019. What’s it going to be? Then get it done!

15. If you want to get ahead in 2019, think of yourself as a trapeze artist swinging from swing to swing. If you want to get to the NEXT swing, you must LET GO of the swing you are holding on to. What “swing” do you need to let go of in order to get you where you want to go this year?

16. Take more risks. You gotta play BIG this year!

17. Remember that business is about relationships & connections. It’s important to remember not to fall in love with your product. Fall in love with your customers.

18. Plan as if you will live forever but live as if you’ll die tomorrow.

19. Write your eulogy and then live your life backward. Don’t wait!

20. Have a “purge” party. Purge your closets, your car, your office, your locker, or anywhere else you spend a lot of time. By “purging” the old or unused, you are opening up free-space in your head and heart for “new.” Out with the old…in with the new.

21. Know your “Big 5 for the Year.” These are the 5 most important things that you need to make happen by the end of 2019 to truly make it the best year of your life.

22. Post your “Big 5 for Life” in your home office. These are the 5 things that you MOST want to accomplish in your lifetime. See it every day…and manifest your intentions.

23. Establish your AM & PM routines. Your habits early in the morning and late at night help dictate your success. Craft up your best-morning practices and your night-time routine and watch your success soar. (Tip: even just a few minutes of gratitude, prayer, journaling, or reading inspirational material is healthy and welcome for your soul.)

24. Post affirmations on your bathroom mirror. Or use the “Thinking Up” app and hear your affirmations (in your voice) at select times during the day.

25. Don’t focus on making money; focus on creating value.

26. A leader of one, a leader of many, if you can’t lead one, you can’t lead any. LEAD YOURSELF first!! Do what you need to do.

27. Reading is one of the best things to fuel your mind and stay in “growth” mode. Here are my Top 10 favorites…

1. “The 4 Agreements” by Dom Miguel Ruiz. Be impeccable with your words, don’t gossip or complain, never assume, and always do your best!
2. “Everyday I Fight” by Stuart Scott. Man, I loved this book!!!!
3. “Hard Hat” by Jon Gordon. Heck, anything by Jon Gordon is great.
4. “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek.
5. “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Covey.
6. “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Victor Frankl.
7. “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” by Robin Sharma.
8. “The Motivation Manifesto” by Brendan Burchard.
9. “Relax Into Wealth” by Alan Cohen.
10. “OverComer” by Dr. David Jeremiah. Not only do I train him several days a week, this is his latest & greatest book to hit the shelves. #BestSeller #GameChanger
11. “The IMPACT Body Plan” and “The WOW BOOK” (I had to get them in there! :))

28. Binge watch STRONG on Netflix. Man, that was a great time!

29. Watch the Rocky “marathon” with your kids on a rainy day. And don’t forget to see the latest Rocky movie CREED 2. I liked it a ton!

30. Be obsessed with learning. 30 minutes minimum per day. That can be reading, watching DVD’s, listening to podcasts, attending workshops and conferences, Mastermind Groups, live Mentorships, or spending time with mentors or leaders in your industry.

31. They key to fast-tracking your success is hiring a coach. Heck, even the Dali Lama has a spiritual coach. Maybe you need a trainer (yes, even trainers need trainers!). Maybe it’s a nutritionist. Maybe it’s a business coach or a life coach. Get more accountability, wisdom, knowledge, focus, motivation…and results.

32. Be part of the Todd Durkin Mastermind Group. If you are a trainer, coach, or fitness pro, the Mastermind will accelerate your results, positively affect your mindset, allow you to more effectively work “ON” your business, and provide you fertile soil in which to grow. Check out www.ToddDurkinMastermind.com for more information.

33. Your network determines your net-worth. Make sure you are hanging with the right people. Is there anyone you need to stop spending time with? Is there anyone you want to spend more time with in 2019? #NoEnergyVampires

34. Thoroughbreds like hanging out with thoroughbreds—they don’t like hanging out with donkeys. Be careful with who you surround yourself with. Just as much as the right people can push you up, the wrong crowd can bring you down. Thank you Dave Ramsey.

35. “When you have your health, you have 1,000 dreams. When you don’t, you have only one.” –Indian Proverb

36. Train like a pro athlete; Exercise more. No one has EVER regretted a great workout.

37. Do more yoga. And Pilates. And stretch more often! 🙂

38. Get a massage one time per week. Or at least one time per month. #Necessity #NotLuxury

39. Clean up the diet. Get rid of the sugars. Eat more lean protein, complex carbs, and essential fatty acids. Eliminate fried foods. Eat for fuel—not comfort!

40. Have one “Greens Drink” a day. Spinach, kale, apple, banana, coconut water and a scoop of vanilla protein powder is actually yummy.

41. Do a cleanse at least one time per year. I just finished one and I’m starting 2019 feeling light and vibrant.

42. When it comes to food, ask yourself, “Do I WANT this, or do I NEED this?” If you need it, eat it. If you want it, suck it up Sally and have some willpower. #EatWhatYouNeed

43. Snack every 3-4 hours. Some of my favorite healthy snacks are a handful of almonds & piece of fresh fruit, carrots dipped in hummus, avo toast (Ezekiel bread) or a protein shake. See below for my favorite…

44. Sugar is the devil. If you are craving sugar, eat more protein. It will satiate your cravings. My “go-to” protein shake is my “TD Quickie”.

“TD Quickie” Recipe:
12 ounces Chocolate-almond milk (unsweetened)
2 scoops almond butter
2 scoops of whey isolate protein powder
10 ice-cubes
Blend in the Vitamix and voila!

45. Attend 1 destination spa per year. Cal-aVie and The Golden Door are 2 of my favorites. And have at least one other additional vacation per year. No one has ever regretted a great vacation!

46. Create your “WLWL” (When Life Works List). What were you doing when life was working best? Thank you Sean Stephenson.

47. If you do not have a will, power of attorney, some disability insurance, and some life insurance (if you are married and have kids), you must get it done. Thank you Tom Dexter & Buddy Thomas.

48. Say ‘please,’ ‘thank you,’ and ‘I love you’ more.

49. The power of a hand-written note. Write love-letters like you used to. Write a hand-written note to a client or customer thanking them. Write a “helmet note” or “cleat note” for your kids before their games.

50. Call up someone you always wanted to talk to but never thought you could. Well, at the very minimum, reach out to them on social media or drop them a note in the DM.

51. Call up an old coach or teacher and thank them for positively impacting your life.

52. If you want to resolve a conflict, call them instead of emailing them.

53. When you travel, send letters to your kids on hotel stationery. Or at least take a picture of a historical landmark in that city and write them a short inspirational text about “creating history.”

54. If you want more, GIVE more.

55. “Do or do not, there is no try.”–Yoda

56. “The way you do one thing… is the way you do everything.” Thank you Tom Davin.

57. Journal. What are you thankful for? What are your intentions for the day? Whom do you pray for today? Where were you outstanding today? How can you best serve others today? How can you choose activities that will energize you today?

58. Clarity precedes genius. You can find clarity in writing and in times of solitude.

59. Slow down in order to speed up.

60. Be willing to fail. It’s the price of greatness.

61. Spend at least 10 minutes every AM in quiet time, prayer time, or meditation time. Trust me, this little “best practice” is truly one of the BEST things you can do for yourself.

62. Listen to inspirational music. Create your favorite playlist for chilling out as well as working out.

63. Do what you do best and hire the rest.

64. Never settle for less than what you are worth. Remember, you are worth it!

65. Sometimes good is good enough. Don’t let perfectionism rob you of getting things done. Read “Perfection Detox” by Petra Kolber. GREAT book!

66. “Color code your life,” says my mentor, Wayne Cotton. Green machine, blue sky, red tape, and mellow yellow. Visit www.nobrowndays.com for more information.

67. Complete a 90 Day Wonder. What have I accomplished in the last 90 days? What are my current challenges? What will I accomplish in the next 90 days?

68. Problems help create beneficial rearrangements.

69. “Fear, frustration, and failure are overcome by faith, focus, forward-motion, and follow-through.” Absolutely brilliant, Wayne Cotton!

70. Remember the 10,000-hour rule. It often takes about 10,000 hours or 10 years to be recognized as an “expert.” #GetWorking #NoShortcutsToSuccess

71. It takes 10-years to build a great reputation. It takes one day to destroy it. Make the right choices.

72. Success takes time. Be patient, but continually invest in yourself.

73. Focus on the PROCESS… not the product.

74. Work more “ON” your business, not just more “IN” your business. And the more success you achieve, means there is even more time that is needed working on strategy.

75. Your big ideas typically come when you are sitting on a beach, skiing in the mountains, on a hike in nature, or snowshoeing on a quiet winter day.

76. Hire only “A” rate players; otherwise you will have an organization made up of average people creating a mediocre business.

77. Cut the bottom 10% of your players.

78. Always believe in your dreams, even when they don’t seem possible or other people doubt you.

79. WTF—“What the FOCUS!!!” (Thank you Trina Gray). If you want serious results in your life, narrow & deepen your FOCUS and work your tail off until you accomplish what you desire.

80. Hard-work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Don’t get out-worked in 2019!

81. “Water people everyday”—lift people up instead of tearing people down.

82. One quick “No” is better than 10 “maybe’s” or “I don’t know’s.” Thank you Randy Hetrick, founder and creator of the TRX…and friend for life.

83. Remember what Walt Disney said, “Everything speaks!”

84. “The bigger the dream, the more important the team.” Thank you Kevin Plank, founder and CEO, Under Armour.

85. “Your attitude determines your altitude!” –Zig Ziglar

86. Don’t compare yourself to others. Just run your own race and be the BEST version of you!

87. If you want to “speak” more, than “speak” more. And constantly work on your craft. Film your talks, critique them, hire a speaking coach, get feedback, and keep practicing.

88. Turn OFF your TV, phone, and electro-magnetic devices 1-hour before bed-time. And don’t turn them on until your morning routine is done the next day!

89. Back up your phone and computer weekly. There is nothing worse than losing all your pictures and data from a long time ago. Not sexy but definitely necessary. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

90. Have a “technology-free” weekend every few months. That means no social media, no emails, and turn off your phone. WOW. Do you remember that’s what it used to be like? Have a “throwback weekend” every now and then and enjoy the simplicity of a technology-fast. 🙂

91. “Eat that Frog” says Brian Tracy. Do the things that you don’t like to do but need to do, early in your day.

92. Find a way to become more active in your church of choice… it will help you get to know people you worship there with you better.

93. Plan one spontaneous outing on a weekend for your spouse or significant other.

94. Write out a bucket list with 50 things on it that you want to do before you die. And be sure to check off at least one thing each year.

95. Just say NO. By saying “no” to what you don’t love or want to do, you are saying “YES” to what you do love to do. So what can you eliminate from your schedule or stop doing that is currently robbing you of your time, energy and passion?

96. Do more of what you love to do and what makes your soul sing. What are the 5 things that MOST make your soul sing?

97. Action is like gas in the car. Without it, you will not go. READY…FIRE…and then AIM!

98. Write down your “BHAG” for 2019. That is your “BIG, HAIRY, AUDACIOUS, GOAL.” Dream about it, write it down, connect with the right people, work your butt off, and GO FOR IT!

99. Define a theme for 2019 and LIVE IT every day. #ManifestIt

100. 525,600 minutes in 2019. What are you going to do with them? Make sure you make the most of each of them.

101. Be humble…be hungry!

102. If you’re happy, notify your face!

103. Keep asking yourself throughout the day, “What is the MOST IMPORTANT thing I can do with my time right now?” And then do that!

104. When you need to get over something, say “NEXT” and MOVE ON!

105. It’s not WHAT’s in your life that is important…it’s WHO is in your life that is most important. Say ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’ more frequently to them.

106. If it’s not going to matter in 5-years, than don’t spend more than 5-minutes on it.

107. One live event is better than 1,000 emails. Attend at least 3-live events per year. It will keep your juices flowing, your network alive, and your mind alert.

108. Create your ideal day and week and build your life around what you LOVE to do, that which makes your soul sing and your spirit soar.

109. The world needs more “Light-houses.” Nourish your spirit every day, exercise daily to get your body strong, and fill your mind with positivity. And then go spread your “light”, energy, and positivity to your community.

110. Commit to only putting positive posts on Instagram, Facebook, or social media that will only motivate, inspire, or EMPOWER someone who reads, watches, or listens to your words.

111. Be an energy GIVER, not an ENERGY sucker. At work, at home, in your relationships, in the gym, etc. No gossiping, no talking down on your teammates or co-workers, and no engaging in activities that will ultimately cause harm or foul.

112. Sign up for your “Dose of Durkin”/MindRight Maniac message delivered every Monday morning to your email or mobile phone. I am committed to making these as good as ever in 2019 to help motivate and inspire you… and we have some big things coming in 2019.
Opt-in at www.DoseofDurkin.com and then please share with a friend. #SpreadLight

113. Train hard…Eat right…Live inspired…At all costs. And that will help you CREATE IMPACT!!!

114. Tap into your whispers. That’s where divine wisdom is found. But you must quiet your mind first and tap into your spirit. #Listen

115. “What are you willing to die for? Once you’re willing to die for something, than you can really start to live.”—Niveen Jain

116. No “stinking thinking” allowed into your head. What you watch, what you read, who you surround yourself with, who you learn from, what you eat, how you train, who you train with, what you listen to, how you think… Every. Single. Thing. Counts.

117. Get Your Mind Right! At ALL COSTS.

118. Say what you need to say NOW to those you love…before it’s too late.

119. My last and final point (#119) is relative to my previous point (#118). Here is what I’d like to say to you…

“Thank you. Thank you for being you. You know there are gifts deep inside of you that still need to be tapped into. I believe in you. God made every person unique and beautiful. It’s your responsibility to tap into your gifts and potential so that you can ultimately fulfill your divine purpose. Make 2019 YOUR year. No more stagnation, deliberation, or wondering WHEN it’s your time. Your time is NOW. In 365 days from now, let’s make sure we have done some amazing things, created some extraordinary experiences, and served mankind in some spectacular way. I love you and you inspire me more than you could ever imagine. Thank you for being you. Todd”

BOOM! 119 Ways to Make 2019 Your Best Year Yet! I encourage you to print this out and review it throughout your year.

I hope there are at least 5-10 points that really SPEAK to you and inspire you to create your best year. Write them down, highlight them, post them, share them, and make sure you DO THEM. And please feel free to share which ones you like best with me below in the comments section.

And please share this article with someone you believe may benefit as well. Thank you in advance!

My friends, I’m excited for you and with you. I can’t wait to continue motivating and inspiring you to do your best work and live your best life.

Happy New Year and let’s truly make 2019 the BEST year of YOUR LIFE!

Much love… and much IMPACT!!!

Todd