The internet has changed the ability for people to start a business with very little upfront cash investment. It wasn’t that long ago when starting a business would cost you tens of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds of thousands, and be an unpredictable jump into debt that you may or may not turn into a profit. Using the power of the internet opens opportunities beyond comprehension if it were 1995, but there is no question how technology today can help you accomplish goals you may never have thought would be possible back then.

There seems to be a fear that investing 5,000, 2,000 or even 500 dollars in a business is dangerous. While the fear of investing that much money is understood if you’re new to being “in business”, it’s only a fraction of what you’d typically invest in a business. Technology now allows you to tap into a world of connected individuals across the globe with practically no expense, in relative terms.

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Nearly every week on any major news/media broadcast or publication you can soak up a report talking about some element of the weak economy. This may be about job cuts at a large high-tech corporation, suffering public school funding, rising healthcare costs, wasteful Government spending, or dozens of other applicable situations. The media does a great job of telling you the sky is falling and unfortunately far too many people get sucked into believing most, if not all, of it.

While this is not meant to bring forth attention to the negative side of news (notice how the majority of it IS negative), I want to open your eyes to a different, abnormal way to listen. It may be unconventional but have you realized that much of the recent success behind so many start-ups is because they have NOT been conventional? They’ve thought out of the box, different than their competitors.

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At the beginning of the new year we try to set new goals, improve our lives, create a list of desired accomplishments and make the year better than the last. The big hurdle is sticking with these resolutions, seeking them through 110%. Looking back on your resolutions of 2010, did you accomplish everything (or even 50% of the items) on your list? Sadly, there’s a good possibility most of those things didn’t get any attention for more than a couple months.

I, like you, am a victim of my own bad habits. There’s nobody else to blame for the failures. In one hand I typically set the bar pretty high for myself, sometimes to unrealistic challenges, while other times I keep certain things at levels that aren’t even going to require effort to accomplish.

Now that 2011 is upon us, take an approach that may be a bit different than previous years. Grab a full-size piece of paper and a pen, then write out each goal you have in mind. The order doesn’t matter but just make sure you write them all down including as much detail as possible. Once you’ve done so the next step is very important and probably something you’ve never done before. Next to each goal I want you to write the date you wish to accomplish/reach the goal. Getting specific such as “By March 2011″, “June 1st” or another specific date. Do NOT write “Within 90 days” because that does not set a time frame – the start date has no value. Lastly, go into your calendar such as Outlook, Google Calendar, iCal, or whatever program you use the most, and add all your goals with the corresponding dates attached. Be sure to set up a reminder (even multiple) prior to that date to help make sure you’re on track.

You may be surprised but this approach may very well help you stick to those resolutions unlike years past. For me, this is exactly what I’ve done. In years past I’ve been terrible with using a calendar even in my work/business life, but have been trying to make that change. Now adding goals with dates…I KNOW I’ll be more determined. Measuring my success rate will not only be exciting but educational, and I certainly look forward to hearing how this works for you.

Will you stick to your 2011 resolutions? I’d love to hear how it goes for you.

You flip on the TV, skip through a couple channels, you’re bound to land on a reality TV show of some fashion. Between finding the next greatest chef to matching bachelors to bachelorette to wilderness survival…it’s a pretty “real” world. Actually, it’s not necessarily as real as portrayed but what is it that keeps us coming back for more? Why does someone else’s experience draw us to be entertained?

There’s one thing I know for a fact; you’re not getting any younger. Is there really enough value in watching reality TV shows that you spend a few hours (or more) in front of the television? Now of course some of the shows can be informative but the majority? Definitely not worth the time.

Instead, I challenge you to take an hour, grab a book, and read. I’ll be the first to admit that reading is not my thing. Heck, if I could have everything in video or audio form, that would be sweet! Let’s not kid ourselves – somethings are better in text form anyway. But lately I’ve began doing the unthinkable – picking up a book and swallowing up the content. And I must say that I’m actually enjoying it.

You’re probably wondering what exactly it is that I’m reading, right? As this probably isn’t a shocker, I’m not really reading for “fun” per say but instead for motivation, keeping up my drive, staying connected with other entrepreneurs, and trying to remain up-to-speed.  A couple months ago the book I picked up and read through in a couple days was Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk, and you can read my Crush It review if you’re interested in hearing about the book. Currently, I’m reading Rework by the co-founder of 37Signals, Jason Fried, and Partner, David Heinemeier Hansson. Seeing as I’m only about 50 pages into the book thus far there isn’t a whole lot I can share, but what I’ve read up to this point is awesome. For the early entrepreneur, the enthusiastic go-getter, the type of person who loves making this happen and seeing the results, this book is  a perfect fit. Generally speaking it’s a testament to those who are trying to build a product, service, and/or business with little money, a team made up of 1-3 people, and even those who think spending 80 hours a week working is crazy. If you fit any of those molds…get this book and then let me know what you find most interesting.

Spending that extra 2 hours a week, flipping open those pages in a book such as Rework or Crush It can absolutely change your life. It’s not about some grand ole’ plan to determine your path but instead get your off your butt, moving towards what you want to accomplish. Life is short and the TV can certainly be put aside.