My 2013 New Year's Resolutions

2012 is almost over.  It's the time of year when everyone starts thinking about New Year's Resolutions.  Even me.  Many people will start Tuesday morning with a long list of things they are going to do differently in 2013.  Unfortunately, in a few months, just about everyone will have given up on those resolutions as they fall back into their old habits.

That's why I prefer to use the last few days of the year to set goals for the coming year.  Unlike resolutions, which are really little more than wishes and daydreams, goals are specific and measurable and can provide a way to get where you want to be.

With that in mind, I decided to share my goals for the 2013 in the hope that some of them may inspire you to set some New Year's Goals of your own.

1.  Create a 1-page strategic plan for 2013.  I tend to get wordy at times so learning to condense my plan for the year to a single page is going to be challenging!  But it will be wonderful to have something I can put my hands on every day, look at every day, and carry with me anywhere, to remind me of where I'm headed and how I'm going to get there.

2.  Take Bob and Austin for a walk 3-times a week.  What kind of business goal is this you may ask?  Well, I've put on some weight (ok a lot of weight) this past year.  And my last doctor checkup indicated my blood pressure is on the high side.  I've been more tired and less focused lately.  How can I continue to move my business forward if I'm not in my best health?  The walks will help with the weight gain and spending time outside with my "boys" will help relieve stress.  Both of these should help lower my blood pressure and get me back to feeling like my old self and ready to work.

3.  Attend at least one business-building seminar.  I'm hoping I will be able to get to one of Ken McArthur's events.  I am currently not able to travel as much as I like but I always learn so much at these that I am determined to make it to at least one this year.

4.  Use some of the ideas provided in Bev Mahone's great book "How to Get on the News Without Committing Murder" to get some FREE PR.

5.  Advertise - every day!

6.  Give my blogs a makeover.  I recently finished ProBlogger's "31 Days To Build a Better Blog" and while I did apply much of what I learned, life - in the form of an automobile accident - got in the way.  Since even the little I did complete significantly improved traffic to my blogs, I can't wait to try the rest of the ideas!

7.  Devote one blog post per month to promoting my fellow entrepreneurs.  It may not help grow my business but part of my mission is to help others grow theirs.  Here's my chance!

8.  Express gratitude daily.  Several years ago, I did a teleseminar with Karol Avalon on how an attitude of gratitude is essential for business success.  I have forgotten that lately.  It's time to bring it back to my business. 

9.  Get off Twitter!  No, not really.  I love it!  But it's time I learn to really use Facebook and LinkedIn and all the other social media platforms available.  Ok, maybe not ALL of them.  But it is time to expand my social network!  Facebook, here I come!

10.  Give my website a facelift.  A recent comment from a visitor made me think.  Just because I'm a baby boomer, my site doesn't have to look old.  It can be informative and still be fun and engaging.  Time for a makeover.

That's my list for 2013.  Do you have a "resolution" to share? 

Make Your Choice!

So here we are, sitting at our tables, looking at our list of New Year's resolutions. At the top of the list - build our business bigger. Or perhaps it's "start a home business." Or maybe "be more successful." We're staring at that statement wondering where to start. And we're looking at all the people we know or have read about and wondering what it is that makes them different from us. Do you really want to know? Good - because I'm going to tell you. They aren't sitting at the table wondering how to get started. They've already done it.

I've spent a lot of time studying successful people and I've found they all have a few things in common. They take action, they make decisions quickly, and they hang around with people like themselves. Successful people have been doing the same things for hundreds of years because it works! Someone - Theodore Roosevelt, I think - once said that the best thing you can do is make the right decision. The second best thing you can do is make the wrong decision. The worst thing you can do is make no decision at all. Think about it. If you decide on your first step to reach your goal and it's right - SUCCESS! If it's wrong, at least you may learn something from the mistake that will help you move forward. But if you never make a decision, you never get started - and you'll be sitting at your table again next year wondering how to change your life and what do all those successful people know that you don't.

Determine never to be idle. Do at least one thing every day to advance you toward your goal. It may be the wrong thing sometimes, but it's still better than doing nothing. Thomas Jefferson said, "It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing" Think how much you can accomplish towards your business and financial goals if you do one thing every day. Make a DECISION! Take ACTION! Take the action necessary to reach your goals.

Let's make this year your year to SHINE!