With the New Year now officially rung in, those of us who had resolutions in mind for this year know it’s time to start focusing on the personal and professional promises we’ve made ourselves and others. Whether our resolutions involve making an effort to floss every day or making a fresh million by a specific date before December 31, 2014, there’s a world of difference between conceiving ideas for change and actually putting them into action.
That said, it can be difficult to know how to organize a plan that involves making your promises a reality. Figuring out where to start, what to prioritize and how to ensure we’re actually working towards meeting these goals take a lot more than just thinking and saying, “I want to do X this year!”

Luckily, entrepreneur.com wrote a recent article that offers some advice on how to stick to our resolutions for 2014, with a rather detailed look at how we can successfully live up to them instead of letting them fizzle out and be forgotten by the time the snow has melted.
Here’s a look at one of their tips:
Get to know your customer. In this case the customer is you. Make sure you know what you really want. Clarity of goals matters just as much in setting up a successful resolution as it is for managing a business.
If you want to lose your beer belly but are making yourself do exercise routines that aren’t effective for fat loss, it shouldn’t surprise you when you don’t “buy” into the routine you are mentally selling yourself. Eventually you become a lost customer.
And this lost customer phenomenon happens all the time in the world of startups. Often entrepreneurs focus on what they believe customers want without seeking feedback. Don’t fall into this trap. Make sure you are constantly connecting with your core demographic and gathering information.
In business, you can’t effectively sell to your customers if you don’t know what it is they want or need. As the article states, you need to fully understand what you want to change or achieve this year before you can go after it. If you have the nagging suspicion, for example, that something you’re doing isn’t helping you meet your goals, don’t ignore that feeling – address it and see if you can think of a way to adjust your approach accordingly.
The article also talks about the importance of having a plan of action, deciding whether or not your goals are worth the investment, why you should do your market research and how to avoid mistaking short-term growth with profitability.
We’d recommend giving this article a read if you’re looking for some tips on how to stay on track with regards to meeting your New Year’s resolutions. It’s especially helpful to those of us who own and run a business, as the metaphors are easy to understand and apply to our own personal and professional goals.
What do you think? Are you on track to meet your resolutions this year? Did you find this article helpful? Your thoughts are always welcome, so let us know!