Resolutions, Life Goals, and Working for Yourself

Happy New Year!

It’s around this time of each year that we find ourselves thinking about the resolutions we should make (or tried last year to keep), what we have achieved so far in life, and perhaps even if this is the year we should go out on our own in business?

Forget New Year Resolutions. What do you want from your life?

Why not take a moment this week to sit down and really think about what you want? I guarantee it will be worth your time. (And, heads-up, it might take some time to get down to what you truly want)

For example, the concept of freedom is a big thing to me. Since I was a teenager I dreamed of owning my own business, calling the shots on my own life, and having the financial means to work or not work, travel well, and provide great opportunities for my family.

So that’s the broader picture. But what does that mean for today? And what I should do this year?

This is where goal setting is key. (Stay with me!)

Once you’ve nailed down the big-picture things, it’s time to zoom in a little. What do I need to do to get me closer to these life-goals?

6-12 Month Plan

Freedom has been my big-picture goal, and starting a business seemed to be the way to achieve this goal. However, there are some big challenges to starting a business, such as:

• Don’t have the skills in say, accounting, business management, IT… where are your skill gaps?
• Don’t have the capital?
• Not sure which industry to start out in?
• Don’t have the contacts or business partner needed?
• And…are these really issues or am I just making excuses?

Your 6-12 Month Goals will focus on closing these gaps, and identifying opportunities to move forward, for example:

• You take an accounting course, or offer to help out with a friend’s business on your days off
• You join an entrepreneurs’ club or a local startup networking group and meet a variety of entrepreneurs and potential investors
• You ask a respected business person in your network to get together regularly and mentor you, telling him/her that your 12 month plan is to start your own company

What to do today:

First up, you have to know where you are heading. So go back to step one and spend some time thinking about what you want for your life. What you really want, if you couldn’t fail and anything were possible.

Next, it’s time to write down your 6-12 month goals. Write them down. Did I mention you have to write them down? Good. Write them down! And keep them somewhere you will see them every day – your bedroom mirror, phone background, forearm tattoo, etc.

And here’s the key action point for today: Do something that gets you closer to each of these goals today.

• Sign up and pay for that course in accounting
• Put the next entrepreneur club meeting in your calendar
• Pick up the phone to schedule a lunch with that guy or girl who just might be mentor material
• Do the first step, whatever that might be. The first step is often the hardest.

Forget resolutions. Figure out what you really want from life and start doing it today.

Cheers,

Damien