New Year, New Goals, New You!

Alright people, like it or not, winter vacay is officially over! School's back, traffic's back, Mondays are back. Welcome to 2019! But wait... before you get too far into planning how you could sneak out early for the afternoon, or hop a plane to a place where puka shells and flip flops pass for formal wear, let's take some time to properly welcome the new year. Let's try to be excited that we're starting a new diet (fun!)/exercise regime/Dryuary (even more fun!)/a slew of awesome habits – or whatever that thing is that you've put off till January. Woo hoo! I know I've made it sound so exciting, but you know what? It kind of is! Even though the only thing that's changed is the calendar, January always feels like a fresh start, a clean slate. So, do you have any new year goals ready to tackle?

What's The Plan? Goal Setting Done Right!

The best way to approach becoming the new and improved you is to have a plan. That's the whole point of new year goals and resolutions. Once you have a plan, get excited about it, dammit! The right mindset is the key to implementing – and sticking to – any new goals you make. Honestly, that can be the difference between success and giving up the first time you fall off the wagon, so to speak – even if your wagon is more of a spinning bike, or set of goals you've written on a whiteboard at work. So in summary: a plan and excitement. Got it?

About those goals for a new & improved you... they're the trickier part of your formula for new year success. Make them too easy and nothing about what you're doing will feel new. You definitely won't end up improved. Make them too hard and by February or March, you'll have stopped even trying. That means you've got to think about what you want to accomplish and where you want to go this year. Besides Fiji.

When goal setting, I like to follow the rules of SMART goals. I'm sure you're familiar with this common guide, but here's a refresher on putting it into practice. It's a quick way to determine if a goal should stay on your list, be fine tuned, or get completely tossed.

Super SMART New Year Goals!

• S — Be specific about what you want to accomplish. This will help you identify what you should... and should not... be doing, and will keep you on task. Want to improve your profit margins? Accurate expense tracking is good. Vaguely paying more attention to spending, not so good.
• M — Your goal should be measurable in some way. Rather than plan to run every day, plan to run 3 miles every day. (Don't you love how everyone gives exercise goals in these examples? Because everyone is always training for a marathon, right?)
• A — Achievable goals make sense; unattainable ones don't. Sounds pretty simple, but we all become over-achievers in our minds when putting pen to paper. Keep your goals real so that the real you can actually, realistically accomplish said goal.
• R — Good goals are meaningful and relevant to the big picture. They should relate to your overall plan, your core business, and what you're trying to accomplish. Make goals that matter to you!
• T — Give it a deadline! Goals must be time based, otherwise they become something you'll get around to when it's convenient, eventually, later, maybe never... Assigning a deadline gives some urgency and will hold you accountable.

So I hope you're embracing this new year! Be excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. Take your clean slate and fill it with awesome (SMART) goals that can help you achieve what you want. I look forward to hearing some updates from you along the way!

Speaking of new year goals, do you want to eliminate frustration and increase cash this year? Discover 8 simple ideas to get clients, identify the three types of clients and create your sales system. Get Our Top 5 Strategies right here for FREE!

Be Oh So Quotable This Week!

I always say running a business means the work never ends! Ain't that the truth? I bet your to-do list is a mile long! Make sure that the items at the top of your list are the things that relate to being more profitable. Everyone is so proud of being so "busy"...But Are You Making Any Money? Don't be too busy to focus!

Check out the summary of last week's business tips and motivational quotes from my Instagram page which you hopefully got to see in real time! If not, let's make sure we're following each other on Instagram!! So...here is this week's roundup of Instagram images of My Top Business Tips and Motivational Quotes.

New Year Goals – Tip #1:

Love this? Pin it to your Quotes Board.

"If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents – start charging for it." – Kim Garst

New Year Goals – Tip #2:

Love this? Pin it to your Business Tips Board.

"You’ve got to take risks if you’re going to succeed. I would much rather ask forgiveness than permission." – Richard Branson

New Year Goals – Tip #3:

Love this? Pin it to your Quotes Board.

"Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value." – Albert Einstein

New Year Goals – Tip #4:

Love this? Pin it to your Motivation Board.

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive." – Maya Angelou

New Year Goals – Tip #5:

Love this? Pin it to your Business Tips Board.

"Be open to learning new lessons, even if they contradict the lessons you learned yesterday." – Ellen DeGeneres

Let's talk! I'd love to hear about your new year goals for 2019!

Have you set any new year goals that you're working on now? I would LOVE to hear from you! Anyhoo...I publish these business tips and motivational quotes to get you fired up for your work week!

Oh by the way, in case you're looking for something to help with pricing, keep more money in your pocket and take your business to the next level, we've got it right here! And it's FREE!

And, if you want more business tips, get my book, But Are You Making Any Money? or contact me to really take your business to the next level!

xoxo M

‍