It’s December and Almost Time to Say, “Happy New Year”

“Start your new year today. And remember, anyone can make a resolution. Very few people keep one.” — Harvey Mackay

Often tomorrow arrives all too soon. But for me the upcoming New Year can’t come quick enough.

I want to stop thinking about 2008. I want to forget about the weak economy, the elimination of jobs, wondering if gas prices will shoot up again, the two foreign wars America is fighting and the year-long bickering between the two major political parties. Most of all, I want to forget that I forgot to keep my 2008 New Year’s Resolutions: one was to lose weight a second was to be better off financially at the end of 2008 than I was at the beginning of the year. I kept neither.

Most people make New Year’s Resolutions. Few of us keep them. We start the New Year with resolutions and end the year with mostly regrets. Then, we make more resolutions for the up-coming year. Resolutions are good because they make us confront reality. But resolutions without resoluteness are like nouns without verbs. The American College Dictionary defines “resolute” as, “firmly resolved or determined as in action.” Values that will affect success in the new year include: commitment, flexibility, creativity, attitude, steadfastness, and a sense of humor.

In discussing the history of New Year’s Resolutions, Gary Ryan Blair (www.GoalGuy.com) says that the tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar. With two faces, Janus could look back at the old year and forward to the new.

Looking back I want to forget 2008. My accomplishments and failures belong to the year that will soon be history. Looking forward to the New Year, I see change. While no one can predict the future, we know that 2009 will not be like 2008.

While many people will fail to keep their New Year resolutions, I am determined to do the few most important resolutions that I make and thereby change the results I have been getting. I will heed Yoda’s advice to Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back, “Luke, there is no try; there is either do or not do.” I choose do! I commit to fulfilling my New Years Resolutions.

Here are a few resolutions that you may want to consider for the New Year

• I will recognize how important my role is to the success of my company. To help my company achieve its goals, I will achieve my goals.

• I will focus my attention on the two or three most important priorities that will affect my success. I will take actions each day to bring me closer to achieving what really matters to me.

• I will recognize obstacles and look for alternative pathways to my goals. I will keep in mind the comic strip character, Pogo’s famous quote, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” On our journey to success the biggest obstacle we often encounter is ourselves. Lao-Tzu stated it well, “He who knows much about others may be learned, but he who understands himself is more intelligent. He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.”

• I will improve my listening and communications skills. By keeping my eyes and ears open I will learn from others.

• I will improve and expand my education. Knowing that education is the single best investment and individual or organization can make. I will search out material and people that introduce me to new ideas, new ways of thinking, and new ways of doing things. I will look at learning as a continuous process. I will learn all day, every day.

• I will set reasonable but challenging goals that stretch me beyond my current abilities.

• I will have a short term goals and long term goals. Because I know that I am constantly doing two jobs: selling profitable today and putting myself in position to be successful tomorrow.

• I will watch and imitate others who are successful and respected. Studying the strengths and weaknesses of successful people allows me to incorporate the best practice of those who are successful.

• At the end of each work day I will ask my self, “What did I learn today that will make me more effective tomorrow? Then, I will apply the principle immediately.

• I will take ownership of my job and the results I get.

• I will put myself in the position of my customers, clients or residents and address their needs and interests, not my own.

• I will make my planned sales calls every day knowing that only one sales call is important to each customer.

• I will create competitive advantages and gain my customer’s loyalty.

• I will make the most of every day by being canceling out negative thoughts when they arise and replace them with positive affirmations.

• I will remember that, “On the day of victory no one is tired.”

• I will form a support chain with two or three of my co-workers. I will choose people I respect and not just people who I feel comfortable with. We will share experiences and helpful tips with one another to encourage and motivate us.

• I will “fake-it-till-I make-it.” I know old habits are hard to break and I won’t change overnight, but I will keep on acting as though I have achieved success. I believe the words of The Good Book: “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.” (Proverbs 23:7)

• I will control my stress. I know that stress comes not from any event but for my response to it. Therefore, I will respond to any event in a positive way and look for the good in everyone.

• I will do more than is required of me and I will do it with enthusiasm.

• I will be resilient. There is no pathway to success without obstacles. The ultimate test is whether I overcome them.

• I will develop my success plan and having developed it, I will execute it

• I will have pride in myself and my organization.

• Each day I will do my best and, having done that, I will sleep soundly.

• I will celebrate victories, both small and large. Success isn’t just about hard work and achieving goals—it’s also about having fun at the same time.

HOG QUOTE: “Our grand business is not to see what lies dimly in the distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” —Thomas Carlyle

HOG THOUGHT: To become a better salesperson, you first have to want to be one, believe you can be one, and commit to being one. You have to work on it all day, everyday. Becoming a professional in any field is not a sometime job. It is an all time job fueled by passion and commitment to achieving your own personal best.

HOG ACTION: Determine your New Year’s Resolutions, have faith that you will accomplish them, and then work with passion to achieve them.