Whew! Twenty Ten is Really Here!

We're two weeks into 2010 and it's still hard for me to believe it. Everywhere I turn there's optimism. It's cautious, but clearly there. Hooray! But what does that really mean for those of us in commercial real estate who continue to have it a little tougher than some other industries might? What did we learn about the "how" we did our business and the "how" we will do it this year?

This past year definitely seemed like a time of survival and so I know we all honed some skills. There seemed to be a lot of thought provoking stuff going on, but I wonder what it'll do for us this year? How can we be sure about what we actually completed and accomplished? We can't if we don't keep a list. And keeping that list digitally year after year is really helpful. Sit with the people in your life...professional and personal, and list the major completions and accomplishments. Tie them to the person(s) and item(s) as closely as possible. I find that while group efforts are of some value...i.e. "The company did this and the company did that..." , it's much more useful to use names or a least titles so you're documenting "Nancy, Sam and Jane did this and that."!

It's an insightful, healthy, cleansing completion in itself and should cover everything you can think of...projects like launching a new product, adding new staff, environmental efforts made, new places visited, losses of family and friends, births, new significant connections, competitions won, things you stopped doing, old business completed, new skills and tricks learned etc. The goal is to celebrate progress! Don't let trying to be perfect screw things up.

Below is a short list you might use to get started. Like the game with fortune cookies...end the statement with ..."in 2009" for each. If you want to share some of your thoughts, it's easier now because we have a blogging component toRealWired! News, http://realwiredinc.wordpress.com.

What was your smartest decision?
Name two big lessons learned
Name at least three loving services you performed
Name two people that had great impact on your life
What are you most happy about completing?
What was the biggest risk you took...?
What compliment would you liked to have gotten...?
What was your biggest triumph?

And for the New Year...answer these.

What two pieces of advice will you give yourself?
What are you most committed to changing and improving at work and at home?
What effort have you planned to improve your financial position?
What would you be most happy about getting done?
What will be your slogan or theme?
What would you most like to change about yourself or your business?
What major indulgence will you commit to?
What are you planning on learning?
What will be your biggest risk?
What brings you the most joy and how are you going to make sure you fulfill it?

Have fun with this, but take it seriously and don't forget to store it for next year. Or, you can forget you ever read this.