Why do we keep wishing people 'Happy New Year'? Will wishing make it so?

We make resolutions, but all we seem to be thinking about is what we did wrong during the past year and resolve to do the opposite. I will lose ten pounds (because I gained ten). I will exercise more (because I haven't been exercising). I will watch less TV (because I couldn't find anything better to do). In each case the resolution seems more like a punishment and we find it difficult to be motivated by a cure that's worse than the disease.

If you want the coming year to be a great one, start it off with a different mindset. I want you to begin by imagining yourself on New Year's Eve, 2008. Imagine being truly content in your life and all its aspects - business, finance, health, relationships, and reputation - whatever it is that will make you truly content. It might take ten minutes or it might take thirty, but create a vision that is real for you. See it and feel it. Got it? Now, let's make it happen.

That vision is your destination. Since you know where you are now, all you need is a plan to traverse the distance. This is the point at which most people throw up their hands and say, "That's too much work!" They're content with resolutions. We, however, imagine the path to our vision. We can see that it won't be easy, but we begin to formulate the steps we can take each day, each week, and each month to move us closer to our goals. Those steps become plans, each plan having its own goals. Now, the truly hard part: write it down. This is the process of affirming what you want and how you are going to go about getting it. Writing it down moves it from imagination to reality. Now we can focus on our path, our goals, and our vision. We have left the past behind. Because we are focused we will begin to notice the countless opportunities in life that align with our goals and we will take action to integrate them into our plans. It's energizing. It's rewarding. It's an entirely different mindset.

Enjoy the journey. May your vision guide you and sustain you in the coming year.

Why not start the year with some fresh ideas? Set aside an hour to think about your performance during the past year. Make a list of the techniques that have worked well for you.

Now, think about the things that have not worked so well. As each one comes to mind, go back to the list of things that have worked well and see if those give you an idea for a new approach. Add that to your list.

I think you will find that your list won't necessarily grow from year to year, it will just keep getting better.

Since we're talking about fresh starts, spend some time now looking for networking opportunities that you haven't tried.

Think about your best clients. Where do they live? Where do they dine and shop? What organizations do they belong to? What charities do they support? Who do they hang out with? Research the opportunities that will allow you to get closer to the people who know people like your best clients. Networking with those people should get you the results you want.