We are a mere few days away from the beginning of a new year. This is the time of year when many of us shift our focus to the year ahead and begin dreaming big dreams.

We set resolutions and commit ourselves, with great determination, to achieving them.

Perhaps we did the same thing at this time last year.

And the year before.

How has that been working out?

There are a few interesting studies that I have read over the years that suggest that upwards of 70% of New Year’s resolutions are broken before noon on January 1st.

I’m surprised it takes that long.

How many of us can look back and state that where we are right now is a huge improvement from where we were one year ago.

I once read a quote that said “December is for dreaming and fantasy and January is for sanity and reality.”

What would you do if, while thinking and planning for 2020, you were offered the following opportunity? 

For one year you will commit to pushing yourself further, harder, deeper and higher than ever before.

For one year you will commit to discomfit, hunger, fatigue, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, facing your worst fears, confronting your biggest nightmares – whatever it takes.

For one year you will do everything you are told, without exception, without question and with 100% effort. You will do this when you are exhausted, you will do this when you’re terrified, you will do this when you are freezing cold and you will do this when you are boiling hot.

You will go into this year knowing it will be the toughest, most grueling, most challenging and, possibly, the most difficult year of your entire life.

You will not give up no matter how strong the temptation. You will push forward no matter how great the pain. You will drive harder even when every cell in your body is begging for relief.

And you will commit to this knowing full well that if you give up, even once, the opportunity will be gone forever.

Will you agree to doing this?

Are you that crazy?

Now, let’s add a slight twist to this proposition.

If you agree to this, if you subject yourself to a year of soul-searing, energy draining, heart-wrenching endeavors, you will have paid an enormous price for which you will be handsomely rewarded.

At the end of the year, having fulfilled every command, met every challenge and overcome every hurdle you will (possibly, even probably) have the life of your dreams. Every goal you have ever had will have been met, every aspiration exceeded and every dream now a reality.

You will have financial independence, spiritual enrichment, emotional fulfillment and every day will be filled with accomplishment, fulfillment and joy.

Now, will you agree to meet the challenge?

Remember, before you answer the question, the famous quote which reminds us that “heaven resides on the far side of hell.”

Let’s examine the question from a different angle. Let’s pretend for a moment that today is day 366 – the first day after the toughest year of your life.

All that was promised is now yours and you are now filled with the life of joy and abundance. Would you look back over the past year with any regret whatsoever?

Presumably, for each of us the answer is no.

As we stand here right before the start of the new year all we know for sure is 2020 will arrive on January 1and end on December 31 regardless of which choice you make.

So the real question to ask yourself is not whether you will commit to a massive effort in order to gain extraordinary benefit, it is to ask yourself whether, one year from now, at the end of 2020, will your life be exactly as it is today or will it be what you always dreamed it to be?

Allow your answer to be your guide.

Till we read again.