New Year's Resolutions Are Stupid...But Here Are Mine Anyway

This time of year is the perfect culmination of all the quirks that make humans so interesting.

January 1st is a Wednesday. And, that's really all it should be. January 22nd is also a Wednesday, but for some reason we have decided that all of our hopes, dreams, and future successes will start on this particular Wednesday.

On this Wednesday we will right the wrongs we have caused, or have otherwise been party to for the past 365 days. We will start jogging, pay down our debts, and hold open more doors for strangers.

Don't get me wrong...these are all great things to strive for. We just shouldn't wait until one particular Wednesday to get started.

Having said all that, here's a simple fact about me that I feel is important to share.

I am a hypocrite.

I have always placed the weight of the world on this date, and I have yet another list of "resolutions" I will attempt to stick with for as long as possible. For example, here are a few things I would like to accomplish in 2014.

1. Consistently write 2 posts per week.
2. Write and sell my first eBook.
3. Create more screencasts, guides, tips, and anything else that will help you solve very specific problems that I've figured out along the way.

Will I achieve all the goals on this list? Probably not. I hope I will, but nothing in the past supports that theory. (hey...I never claimed to be an optimist)

Do as I say...not as I do.

My advice to all you business owners out there is simple.

1. Take some time to sit down and review the past year. It doesn't have to be on the 1st. It can be any day you wish. Just take the time to see what you did last year...good and bad. Be brutally honest with yourself here. If you failed miserably at something, own it. I screwed up so many things last year I would need 10 posts to detail them all.
2. Decide which areas of your business you want to improve this year, and make a real effort every day to do something small toward that goal. This isn't a "miss one day and it's a failure" kind of goal. Just do your best to be aware of the goal each day.
3. Take regular time away from work. Whether you have a family or not is irrelevant. We admire stories of billionaires who worked 18 hour days for years before they finally "made it". Please don't be one of those people. I know I'm guilty of this. In 2013 I spent the first half of each day working with current clients, and the other half fiddling with ways to find new ones. We live each day as though we have an infinite amount of days at our disposal. We don't. Spend time each day doing the things you love, and being with the people you love.

One sec...I just need to get down off this pulpit........ok, I'm back.

I am really looking forward to 2014 (hypocrite, remember), and I really hope that I will spend more of it getting to know the people who are reading these words. In turn, I also hope to provide more words for you to read. More importantly, I hope to solve more of the problems you're facing. I spent a lot of 2013 writing about ideas and general advice. 2014, if all goes well, will be spent solving specific problems each week. I hope you'll join me for the journey. As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions, comments, or advice. I also strive to get better at responding to your questions.

Until then, enjoy the rest of your holidays, and I'll talk to you again soon.