Looking back I had said to myself I wouldn’t fall victim to the technology, and it seemed to be a poor way of communicating, but texting has won me over. The simplicity of SMS messaging, or texting, had no appeal to me…other than the “cool” factor. Who wants to type on these tiny keys a message to someone that will take several minutes before getting a response, at best? It would be far faster just to give that person a call, right?

In time the texting concept caught my attention. Slowly I began to gain more interest in using it. My original thoughts were somewhat lost in my mind as I could no longer heavily weigh the reasons I shouldn’t bother texting over the reasons I should – the tables had turned. It seems now I use SMS messaging every day, with many contacts. Had I simply looked back 4-5 years ago I’d never have thought this would be the case.

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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.

It’s one of the nicest “long” weekends that many people have, at least here in the North East. The weather is typically beautiful as it’s a moderate temperature, very few clouds in the sky, and fall is in the air. Sitting outside is nearly impossible to pass up while you realize “Hey, I don’t have to go to “work” on Monday, Sweet!”. Of course there are those of us who don’t have to go to a job during the week…but you catch my drift, right?

Something that I’ve recently come to think about is how much “work” we put into our business(es). Something I will always stand behind is that we, here in America anyway, “work” too much. The typical 40-hours a week is practically a minimum now-a-days as most corporate america employees work well over 40, sometimes up to 60 hours a week. To me, that’s just insane. Better yet, I don’t even think it’s healthy. Do you think we are meant (by a higher power, or whatever you may believe in) to spend 40, 50 or even 60 hours of our lives each week devoted to “working”? I…really doubt it. Even doctors and scientists have stated that we’re generally killing ourselves.

It’s no surprise when I say stress is a bad thing, right? And how many people are stressed on a daily basis? Unfortunately we’ve turned into a “get more done in less time” society over the past decade, and while it may have helped to grow a lot of companies, it hasn’t done just as much good in people’s lives.

So, as this weekend comes and goes, I hope you take time to relax, get together with family/friends, de-stress, enjoy the good in your life, and think about time-management. Personally, I’ve spent an entire day and a half doing, practically, no “work”. As much as I’ve wanted to be productive there is a need to pause, sit down, and soak in the down-time.

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.