6 Tips to Start the New Year Right

It’s the beginning of a new year, and you’re super fired up about it. This is THE YEAR you’re going to grow your business like never before. Nothing will stand in your way. But before you know it, you’re back to the same day-to-day routine, and the chance of doing anything new is about as likely as the Titans reaching the Super Bowl this year.

If this sounds like you, take heart. You’re not alone. According to a study by the University of Scranton, 60% of New Year’s resolutions fail. Nearly one-third of them won’t make it to Valentine’s Day.

So how do you keep the momentum going? Here are a few quick or easy-to-accomplish tasks that will build the foundation to help you keep that promise to yourself.

1. Clear Your Desk

This tip may sound silly, but it may be the best piece of advice you receive all year. Get rid of all paper on your desk. File or scan what you need and throw away the rest. When you de-clutter your workspace, you automatically clear your mind, allowing you to focus on what’s important. It’s like having a fresh start every day.

2. Set Your Goals

If you haven’t yet set your goals, now is the time to do it. In fact, this is your first goal of the year. And no, being “too busy” is not an excuse. Get it done by the end of this week. For goals to work, they must:

• Be specific
• Be measurable
• Have a time limit
• Be yours
• Be in writing

Remember, too, that goals are not all about business. You need them for every area of your life. At Dave’s, we use what Zig Ziglar called the Wheel of Life. Each area of your life is represented by a spoke. You have to set goals in every area. The spokes include:

• Career
• Financial
• Spiritual
• Physical
• Intellectual
• Family
• Social

3. Create a Calendar

Want to keep that Wheel of Life from having a flat tire? Then you have to put absolutely everything on a calendar, or you’ll never find enough time. Dave and his wife, Sharon, live and die by the calendar, he says. They are careful and intentional about rest, recreation, exercise, marriage time and kid time.

4. Get Out of the Office

Schedule a full day on that calendar with key leaders or team members to come up with a game plan to achieve your new goals. And don’t do it at work. Getting away keeps distractions to a minimum and allows creativity to flow. What would be even better? No phones or email allowed.

5. Plan for New Hires

Now that you have your goals in place and you’ve come up with a game plan, ask yourself if your staffing is adequate to turn them into a reality. If not, what strategic hires do you need to make and who should come on board first?

The reason to start now, even though a project or goal may not begin for many, many months, is that hiring should never be a fast, take-anyone-who-walks-in-the-door process. At Dave’s company, it takes several months with multiple interviews before a candidate joins the team. The result? He employs a building full of thoroughbreds who are passionate, loyal and super talented.

6. Get a Plan to Grow Your Leadership Abilities

Your business grows when you do. Without a plan to make that happen, time can slip away and so can your dreams for your business. Don’t let that happen this year! Start the new year off strong with our online leadership training program­—EntreLeadership Elite.

You deserve to win at work. Our new book and assessment will show you how.

You’ll learn and apply the principles Dave Ramsey built our company on and find support from a community of like-minded business owners. It’s so important to create a concrete plan for becoming the leader your business needs. Invest in yourself—and get after it!

If you follow these quick tips, you’ll be munching on chocolate this February instead of eating your words.