New year, a new you?

As I look back over the year and dust off my resolutions from last year I realised I had achieved all but one of them (which was to make a knife a month). I feel happy with that, so this year I think my resolution will be a simple one, move the things on my to do list to my done list. In simple terms, complete what I start and taking many small steps towards larger goals. This is following advice from a friend who suggested a way to start working on something big by simply making a list of the things you know and start moving them to the done pile. As you progress, you will add more to the list to be done and know more about the bigger goal. For me, grand statements though well intentioned often fail to materialise because I’m overcome by their implications and so his advice contained a practical key to achieving the goal. 

While writing this entry, I’m struck by the realisation that I’m about to break this advice in my next point by only listing the well intentioned advice.

While watching a YouTube video of biggest business failures, I was struck by some common threads for failure in business, I can’t help but feel that these also apply in our personal lives.  The reason for these failures can be summarised as:

·       Not recognising what you have
·       Not using what others offer you
·       Thinking your current strong position cannot change and clinging to current ways when times are good
·       Not being aware of where you are in the market in relation to your competitors

 With those things stated, I’m going to apply my earlier advice to each one to see how that changes them:

·       Not recognising what you have – make a list of what you are already good at and speak about them to people, in person and online.
·       Not using what others offer you – Look for people to support you in your plans – go and meet more people, you can’t work with people if you stay where you are.
·       Thinking your current strong position cannot change and clinging to current ways when times are good – look what others are doing, adapt what you learn, don’t copy – keep looking and exploring even when what you have is working.
·       Not being aware of where you are in the market in relation to your competitors – I’m at the bottom, so the only way is up, I’ll stay at the bottom if I don’t start….

I’m not sure why this is a surprise to me, I guess it just goes to prove that you need to keep reminding yourself to look for the action in the statement.

Ok, I’m off to add the above to my ‘to do’ list.