You can’t soar with eagles if you keep walking with chickens.

Today is the third day in the year 2026 and I know that a lot of people are still wondering how the year is going to be. Some are looking at the budgets, some, the state of the economy, stock market, IMF/World Bank projectionsand other indicators.

That is exactly the way the human brain is wired.

The human brain is configured to look a lot more outward and a lot less inward.

That is the reason why we don’t always hold ourselves accountable for things that are obviously our own failings.

The more reason we are always looking for people to push our mistakes to.

Taking responsibilities is our distant relative.

The truth is, starting a new year requires introspection or looking inwards.

So, instead of focusing on the budget, the economy and other indicators, we need to start by looking at ourselves and holding ourselves accountable.

Alexander The Great famously declared that, “He who conquered self is greater than he who taketh a city.”

So the introspection should start with, how did we fare in the year that just past?

What and what did we do right and what and what did we do wrong?

What are the things that affected or hindered our progress?

Without learning and getting answers to these questions, the new year may still go the way of the old.

Mother nature reveals to us that in order to grow into the next best version of ourselves, we must forget the budget, the economy, the society and look inwards.

In fact, we must shed the old leaves and grow new ones.

We must let go of what did not serve us well in the passing year.

This include both human and material.

When trees change colour and let go of their dry, dead leaves, they release the weight of what no longer give them vital purpose.

The same way as human we should let go of the things that did not serve useful purpose in our life in the previous year, so that we would be able to travel light into the new year.

In every falling leaf, there is a promise that letting go paves the way for fresh life and vibrant possibilities.

As humans, shedding old leaves or dropping those who were of no value to us in the previous year and getting positive minded people, that is growing new ones would also have the same effect.

So, the first place to start shedding old leaves is from your cell phone. Any name or number that you get to, ask yourself, how did the person impacted your life the previous year?

Did he or she add value to your life or not?

The answer to the question would determine whether he or she would remain there or get deleted.

The reason why I am saying this is because unnecessary possession would always bring unnecessary burden.

You don’t need crowd around you when you are not doing popularity contest.

To travel fast, you have to travel light.

After going through your cell phone, the next place should be those who you spend the most of your time with.

The truth is, how far you would go in the world would be determined by the type of company you keep.

If you spend time with losers, you would become a loser yourself.

You can’t soar with eagles if you keep walking with chickens.

The way it works is this: You start talking like them, thinking like them, acting like them and before you even notice, you have become one of them.

Like I said above, the people you hang out with decide how far you can go.

You can’t stay motivated when you hang around people who have given up on themselves years ago.

To have a better 2026, you have to get out (shed) all the losers.

I know that a lot of people might find it difficult to shed some old faces out of their life.

What that simply means is that they are not yet ready to grow.

A man who truly want to rise in life must be ruthless about what he removes.

The ones who drain your energy, doubt your vision and distract you from your mission have no business being in your life.

You can’t build a legacy surrounded by people who have given up or fear growth.

But if you sit with hustlers or go-getters, you start thinking different.

When you stay with builders you start moving differently.

So, your life is a reflection of your circle or the company you keep.

It is easy to be average when nobody around you aims higher.

But it is hard to stay small when you are surrounded by giants.

The world is moving fast. You either adapt or be left behind.

When you are in the right circle, you would be learning and building something that makes money even while you sleep.

Talent alone is not really enough.

Hard work a lot of the time beats talent.

So you have to be hands on.

Effort compounds when others quit.

When competitors sleep, scroll their phones, gossips or make excuses, your extra work gives you the edge.

Those extra hours of learning, testing, refining turns into results the loser would never reach.

So ask yourself; Are you showing up only when it is convenient for you or are you willing to outwork everyone else even when it hurts.

For you to be able to do that, you must shed old leaves and grow new ones.

You must need a new mindset to achieve a new height.

There is no doubt that when you want to shed old leaves, some tongues must wag.

But what you should at the back of your mind is that if nobody sees you as an enemy, you are not important.

If nobody talks about you behind your back, you are not relevant.

And if somebody tries to take advantage of you, it is because you have value.

If somebody tries to put you down, it means you are already above them.

Hate only comes from below, never above.

The reason some people are doubting you is because you are doing great things which they think are impossible for themselves to do and mind you criticism is just an admiration in disguise.

So your haters are actually your biggest fans. They just don’t know how to clap yet.

•Peter Anosike has a Ph.D in Consulting and Profit Management. He is an international bestselling author and founder, Ultimate Entrepreneurs Academy, an organisation that trains college students, under graduates and even workers on how to become successful entrepreneurs. Google Anosike Peter for some of his bestselling books.