Great question. Honestly, my “New Year’s Resolutions” tend to be “plans” rather than “resolutions”. From what I’ve seen through the years, “New Year’s Resolutions” are generally “wish lists” that lack considerable thought, analysis, and planning. This results in failure, much like the 95% of the New Year’s Resolutions made by people who break them in the first two weeks. When you think about it, a “resolution” necessarily means that you’ve determined to do (or not do) something, and that you are “resolute” in your determination; that is, you are “resolved”, you are firm, you are fixed, you are unwavering in your determination. I firmly believe that if we all looked at “resolutions”, including “New Year’s Resolutions” this way, our “resolutions” would produce “results” and that’s what we are all after. Results.

My plans (“resolutions”) for the coming year include:

Schedule more time for fitness and relaxation

• Calendar workouts;
• Balance schedule by saying no to events and yes to more family and special time

Work more efficiently

• Schedule allotted time for working on projects, meeting with clients;
• Complete priorities first thing in the day;

Increase revenue

• Client satisfaction (Communicate – Apply 24 hour rule to telephone calls and emails)
• Give clients a quality work product – value to both
• Set an annual goal broken down by month, week and day
• Make sure employees have all they need to be efficient (Training, software, equipment, and review policies and procedures)

How will you accomplish your goals?

I start planning my goals (“resolutions”) for the New Year in November/December. I like to take a few days away from the office in late November and use that time to reflect on the current year’s successes and failures. I dissect my business and start asking questions;

• Where are we? and Why?
• Why did we succeed?
• What was the plan that to the success?
• Is this plan still viable?
• Has anything changed in my business’ internal or external environment that I need to adapt to in the coming year? If so, how do I adapt?

And I ask:

• Why did we fail?
• Was the plan flawed?
• Was there a failure in an assumption that ultimately did not materialize?

Dissect and adapt. By late December each year, I have a solid idea of where I want to take the business in the coming year and I have a plan – a business road map – to take me there.

Donna Gary is the creator of ClientTickler, a new office and mobile application for small businesses that assures all responsibilities are calendared – nothing falls though the cracks and New Year’s goals will be reached much faster!