The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the way we live and work. And that is not all. On Feb 3, 2021, we moved into the new year of the Ox. The Chinese New Year is celebrated by many on February 12, 2021. “What do I need to prepare to maximize my success?”, people ask me. The biggest two ingredients that you will need to work on are developing clarity and endurance. It is also time to face your fears or embark on something you feel is difficult or challenging. Are you ready to take the year of the ox by the horns?

It is a misconception when people believe they have to go to the bank and deposit lots of money on the day of Chinese New Year, in order to become wealthy. 

Turn your fears into courage

What you want to deposit instead is a clear goal of what you want to achieve in 2021. Success means different things to different people. Money is one of them. The key to making more money is not found in putting up shiny objects in the house. Instead, it starts with your energy and a clear mindset. What are you going to change in your life to not only survive but to thrive in this new norm? The pandemic is not going away soon. Therefore, it is critical to develop new skills and increase your value in the marketplace.
Let’s go one level deeper. What are your biggest fears and bad habits? It is time to turn your fears into courage and get rid of them once and for all. Stop the same old, develop new thoughts, and create new ways of becoming a new you. Let’s tackle the ox year by the horns.

New Chinese Year - Red Wall

The future of effective leadership

As a business leader, it is a bad habit to boss your employees around and replace them every two years. It is not saving you any money but costing money and reducing your profit margins. The future of effective leadership over the next years will be seen in people who respect and grow their employees. People want to work for people that they feel connected with and with whom they want to grow with. Technology will continue to play a role, but wisdom and spirituality will play an even bigger role in our life and business.

The Ox is a hardworking, animal, that is also associated with positivity and honesty. And 2021, the year of the Ox, will challenge our values, honesty and our ability to move and transform ourselves. It starts with having a positive mindset and the drive to become and do better.
The pandemic has required each and every one of us to reflect on who we are as a human being. What values do we have? What and with whom do you spend most of your time with? The things you spend most time on are the things you value in your life.

Use the Chinese New Year to your Advantage

2020 has been a wake-up call. A time to change. Change does not begin with the external but the internal side of you. Who do you need to become in 2021 to create more happiness, success and impact? As an effective leader of the future, you have to level up your game and steer your boat into new territories with the right values and the right people.