We are nearing the end of 2008 and one of the most important (and profitable) investments you can make is to review the past few months very, very carefully. To an amazing degree, we humans are creatures of habit. We are great examples of Newton's law that, "a body set in motion tends to remain in motion." We tend to plunge blindly ahead, repeating yesterday's mistakes and failing to learn from experience. Yes, we take great pride in the fact that we "can" learn, but my observation is that we rarely do. We assume that what worked last year will be the best way forward next year. Now, of course, we all know we should be innovative, creative and original. We know that, but do we do it? When Jack Welch was the head of General Electric, he insisted that half the company's profits come from products and services that were less than five years old. Why? Because he knew that yesterday's methods would never work in tomorrow's world. Take time - several hours, perhaps more - to carefully review the following questions:
1. What worked best last year? What surprised me, inspired me or taught me something new for my work or business?
2. What did not work, or is working less and less well? What was less profitable or less effective than I expected? What should I drop altogether in the new year?
3. What's new in my field? What are my colleagues doing that I should apply to my business?
One of the absolute BEST things any professional, business owner or manager can do is invest in seminars and conferences. The chance to get away and "see the forest for the trees" is incredibly valuable. Conferences generate new perspectives, and new ideas create vast new opportunities! Invest in yourself!
Quotes of the Week
"The great tragedy of life is not death, but what dies inside of us while we live." -- Norman Cousins
"It takes great courage to faithfully follow what we know to be true." -- Sara E. Anderson
"Our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become." -- Barbara Geraci
"Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it's holy ground. There is no greater investment." -- Stephen Covey
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