Kick-Start Your Year

You have less than three weeks until the start of 2010. If you want the year ahead to be filled with goal achievements instead of unfulfilled resolutions, you need to answer this question: What are you going to do now to make sure you have the best year ever?

If you want your year to begin with a kick-start instead of a whimper, follow our expert advice:

«Expand your thinking with new experiences. Each month for 30 days in a row, commit to doing something new that you have thought about doing but have not done, and notice how it affects your life. Some possibilities: verbally appreciate 10 people per day, don’t read the newspaper, get eight hours of sleep or plan your next day’s schedule.»
—Jack Canfield, co-founder of Chicken Soup for the Soul series

«Build value every day. People do business with people they trust and people who make them feel special. Create a ritual that ensures you reach out to three possible or current customers every day.»

—Robin Sharma, leadership expert and author of The Leader Who Had No Title

«Create an environment fostering your success. You might not even realize to what extent you are influenced—negatively and positively—by things and people around you. Start a journal to keep track of these influences so you can eliminate the negative and increase the positive. For example, nurture your emotional well-being by choosing friends who genuinely want you to succeed and who encourage you.»

—Tony Alessandra, sales expert and author of The New Art of Managing People

«Be a student of all you do. Become an expert in your field through reading. Start today by identifying areas for improvement, looking for training opportunities in your field and seeking out people you’d like to emulate.»

—Stedman Graham, speaker and author of You Can Make It Happen: A Nine-Step Plan for Success

Find 40 more ways to kick-start your year here…

This article is written for Success Magazine