Looking Forward to 2009...

It's interesting how by creating a whole "eve" concept, it adds to the excitement of what's to come. Would Christmas Day be quite so exciting without the clear, exciting signposts that are Christmas Eve? Probably not quite as exciting, although the day would still hold its own charms and rituals. However, there's some useful learning from creating a sense of anticipation, excitement and expectation.

Looking forward to things, in both meanings of the phrase, is important for delivering optimal performance and taking on challenges. Just think about how something feels psychologically different if you're not looking forward to it - you're tentative about what's going to happen, you're unhelpfully nervous, you've got a predominantly reactive mindset where the situation is controlling you, you're probably not confident about how you're going to perform and you'd happily not actually go through with the event in reality.

When you're looking forward to something in contrast, you can't wait for the time to start, you're excited about the prospects of what's going to happen, you're confident you'll take everything in your stride as well as carry out the bits you've planned, in short lots of positive thoughts and emotions.

Thinking about some key events at the beginning of 2009, what can you do to make sure that you're creating a Christmas Eve feel for some key events early in the year? What is there to look forward to? What is there that engages your curiosity and makes you wonder about how well you might be able to deliver some performances?

With a lot of natural trepidation around from a business point of view for 2009, everyone is going to have to work harder at looking forward to things in order that they take the challenges on with maximum effect. Good job we've got Christmas to learn from.