Time flies and we all know it. We’re pretty sure you’re sitting there a bit shocked that this year has flown by so quickly and like all of us, have made some mistakes this past year. No one is perfect nor should anyone be perfect.

What is most important is that you take into account the mistakes you made and make sure you don’t make them in the coming year.

Life is about moving forward and never backwards. By making the same mistakes over and over again all it means is that you just haven’t learned your lesson and weren’t able to grow as a person. Here are the 10 biggest mistakes you managed to make this year that you ought to avoid in 2013.

10. You didn’t take enough risks.

Living life is a risky business. Everything you do, every interaction, every decision, step, and time you wake up, you are taking a risk. To truly live life and enjoy it you need to take more risks. To not get out of bed, clutching to illusions of safety, is to die slowly without ever having truly lived.

Be a little risky and realize the full potential of your life. The sky is the limit if you just have the courage to build the ladder.

9. You gave in to your fears and negativity.

We all get scared and there isn’t much we can do about it. It’s not about being afraid but about what you do when fear grips you. When you feel these negative feelings know that you have the power to pull your hand away from the flame.

Keep your life focused on the positive things that are going on and the possibilities that you have in regards to attaining your dreams. What begins in your mind ends up in your life. Think continually of the way you would like to be, let these thoughts drive your actions, and your reality will reliably catch up to your thinking.

8. You let uncertainty control you.

As times goes on you will understand that things have a funny way of working themselves out without you having to stress or worry about them. What lasts will last and what doesn’t will go away. Time solves most things, and what time can’t solve, you’ll learn to solve yourself.

Don’t let uncertainty dictate your thoughts and actions; don’t allow it to make you afraid of doing something. If it feels right inside then do it; if it doesn’t then stay away. Instinct is everything.

7. You did what everyone else wanted you to do.

Life is too short to be living someone else’s life. When you do things because others wanted you to do it, that is when you become a prisoner in their life. You can’t please everyone at the same time.

So just worry about pleasing yourself because at the end of the day that is the only thing that matters. You are the only one that knows what is best for you. Always, ALWAYS listen to yourself and what you want first.

6. You were far busier than you were productive.

Being busy and being productive are two different things. Anyone can keep busy but not everyone can be productive and efficient. Try working with an awareness of the type of work you are doing and how it will affect your progress in your life.

Focus on the reason for doing what you’re doing, the deepest reason you can find within yourself. Whatever is wasting your time or has no value you should get rid of.

5. You didn’t practice enough.

Practice makes perfect- as corny as it may sound. If you want to be amazing at something and excel, the only thing that will get you there is you mastering your craft. It is the relentless routine of a precise set of actions, physical and intellectual, focused on a desired result.

Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles. Some act of vision, faith, or desire. Practice is a means of inventing an amazing outcome.

4. You let little bits of stress consume you.

Don’t ever fall for the trap of thinking that a bad day means a bad life. Life is not about how many times you fall down but how many times you manage to get back up. Don’t waste your time on one unhappy thought. Every time one door closes a new one will open- always remember that.

You must learn to let it go. You were never in control anyway.

3. You set unrealistic expectations.

There is something called reality and then the fantasy world in your head. We are wired to expect things to turn out a lot better than they actually do, and our expectations always seem to be a bit too high. But that doesn’t mean bad things are happening in your life.

If you can learn to stop expecting impossible perfection in yourself, others, and the world around you, you may find the happiness that has always eluded you.

2. You overlooked the beauty of small moments.

In life it’s the small things that matter. It’s all about being present and enjoying the moment to the fullest because the chances of this moment coming back around are slim to none.

Stop worrying about what you don’t have in your life and what you are missing and focus on the beauty of the small moments that take place in your life, those that might make you happy even if only for a short time. Every moment counts. Every second matters. Whatever is given is a gift.

1. You were hoping to make fewer mistakes.

The biggest mistake you can possibly make is not making any mistakes at all. Mistakes are what allow for growth in your life and is what makes life exciting.

It is sort of like a forceful lesson that you have to learn.  Your good judgment comes from life experience, and life experience comes from all the bad judgments you make. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment and defeat are the tools life uses to show you the way.

Preston Waters | Elite.