Ten Tips For An Outstanding 2010

New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year.  It's a time for us to reflect on the changes (New Year's resolutions) we want (or need) to improve the quality in our lives and our business and achieve balance... and then the resolve to follow through on those changes.

Before presenting my list of the Top Ten New Year's resolutions to improve your life and business in 2010, let me anticipate an objection.  Unfortunately, New Year's resolutions have acquired something of a bad reputation.  How could they not, since making them almost invariably leads to breaking them?  So why bother?

If you want to improve the quality of your life and business for 2010 and the rest of your life, you need to establish your personal goals.  Remember, your New Year's resolution is yours, you own the resolution.  Whether your ultimate goal is a promotion at work, a streamlined work process, new customers, a published article, an exercise program or weight loss, the resolution must be your resolution.  You are unlikely to achieve your manager’s goal, your spouse’s goal or the goal you think you “ought” to work on this year.  Your resolutions (goals) must generate excitement when you ponder their accomplishment.  You must believe there is something in it for you to accomplish them. 

Top Ten New Year's Resolutions

1.  Spend more time with your family & friends...
Work shouldn't always come first!  You have to maintain a balance in your life.  Who's most important in your life?  Stop and remember for a second what was important from your own childhood.  Was it a beach outing with your family?  Baking cookies with your grandmother?  Building a snowman with your dad?  We need to re-connect.  This doesn't require more of your time, just shifting the focus of the time you already have. 

Make a resolution to show how much you appreciate your loved ones, and spend more time with your family and friends this year. 

2.  Enjoy life more...
Given the hectic, stressful lifestyles of millions of Americans, it's no wonder that "enjoying life more" has become a popular resolution in recent years.  Take up a new hobby or activity this year.

Maybe this is the year you begin your collection, or you start playing tennis.  If something has always intrigued you and piqued your interest, resolve to take the first steps in participating this year.  You’ll add a new dimension to your world.  It's an important step to a happier, healthier and more prosperous you!

3.  Get out of debt...
Was money a big source of stress in your life last year?  Join the millions of Americans who have resolved to spend this coming year getting a handle on their finances.  It's a promise that will repay itself many times over, in the years ahead. (For you, your prospects and your clients!)

4.  Learn something new...
Have you vowed to make this year, the year to learn something new?  Read voraciously to continue to learn and grow.  I try to read an hour each and everyday... business books, articles, and online newsletters.  I don’t always reach my goal, but it’s always there for me.  Try to read widely and broadly.  Get out of the business books once in awhile to see how other subjects enhance your point of view.  Whether you take a course, or read a book, you'll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating New Year's resolutions to keep.

5.  Help others...
A popular, non-selfish New Year's resolution, volunteerism can take many forms.  Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or building a house, there are many nonprofit volunteer organizations that could really use your help.  The side benefit is that the more you get involved with the local organizations in your community, the more people will get to know you, trust you, and will want to work with you.  

6.  Get organized...
On just about every New Year's resolution top ten list, you'll find organization as a goal.  Whether you want your home organized enough that you can invite someone over on a whim, your office organized enough that you can find the stapler when you need it, or your marketing organized to generate a steady stream of the right leads, you need to get started on the way to a more organized today.

7.  Step out of your comfort zone... 

You know when you are in your comfort zone.  An issue occurs.  You hear yourself making up excuses in your mind about “why” you don’t need to speak, or “why” taking a stand on an issue will get you “in trouble.”  Just once, when you find yourself in this situation, state what you are really thinking.  After the shock wears off, your prospects and clients will admire you.  It is so important that you provide honest feedback and participate to improve your products or services for your customers.

8.  Listen more than you talk...

The old adage about one mouth and two ears is so very true.  As a financial advisor, you spend much of your time in problem-solving activities and efforts.  Plan this year, to listen to all that your prospects and clients are saying; they may want a sounding board, not advice or problem solving.  Many times your listening will empower them to solve their own problems.  When they feel completely heard out and listened to, they are more likely to move from “stuck” to action.  In Stephen Covey’s words, "seek first to understand, then to be understood."  Ask the who, what, where, when, why and how questions, and then listen!

9.  Develop a method to track your life goals, business goals, and your daily to do list...

Using a planner, whether in Microsoft Office Outlook on your laptop or on your smartphone, allows you to empty much of the daily detail from your mind.  This gives your mind room for more important thinking.  Whether you choose a paper method or an electronic method, tracking your daily activities against your most important goals is critical.  You do want to ensure you accomplish your most important priorities.  Right?

10.  Take yourself a little less seriously... 

As we strive for business success, we can get bogged down in serious deliberation, advising and problem solving.  Take time to laugh.  Take time to smell the cookies and bread baking.  Smile when you hear stories about what all of your crazy prospects and clients are doing; you don’t need to be the ultimate professional all the time.  Enjoy them for all their little quirks and differences.

All of us here at the Insurance Pro Shop wish you a happy, healthy, prosperous, outstanding new year as you adopt these New Year's resolutions and more of your own.

Yours in success,
Lew Nason 

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