More, Less, or the Same?

It seems like it was just yesterday that we were enjoying 2011. We were trying to enjoy all those "Best Of" lists and "Top 11 Things from '11" that force us to look back on the year we just lived.

Good, bad, or indifferent...we made it. We survived 2011.

(Sound alarm clock)

(Cue sunlight through window)

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the next 366 days of your life (remember, it's a Leap Year).

How are you going to make them better than the last 365? How will you insure that they won't get any worse? Even more importantly, how can you guarantee that you won't be sitting right there on January 1, 2013 wondering why nothing has changed at all?

It's time to analyze and ask yourself- do I need more, less or the same? Here are some of the things I am going to strive for in 2012.

More

• Laughter
• Friends - both "in real life" and in the social realms
• Good books to read, good blogs to follow or good podcasts to listen/subscribe to
• Speaking opportunities
• Time with Riley and Ryan - It's so cliche to hear "They grow up quickly" as a new parent until you realize that it's not a cliche at all. It is a law of nature.
• Self discipline and personal accountability
• Physical exercise
• Humility
• Failure - because it means I am doing something
• Listening
• Water, fruit and vegetables
• Focus
• Rounds of golf
• Planning
• Looking for (and seeing) the good in people and situations
• Results
• Realization of opportunities and taking advantage of them
• Savings
• Understanding of technology
• Action
• Play
• Birdies
• People in the "audience" - in classes, workshops, webinars, readers of this blog

Less

• Weight
• Gray hair
• Stress
• Procrastination, finger pointing and blame
• Excuses
• Second mistakes - "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me"
• Hearing without listening
• Soda, french fries and sweets
• Jealousy
• Allowing the negative to rise to the top in any situation
• Being concerned with anything that doesn't affect me or the people I care about
• Reasons
• Debt
• Missed chances
• Dependence on technology
• Feeling like I am a slave to my email
• Talk 
• Work
• Bogeys, Double Bogeys and "others"

The Same

• Sense of humor
• Creativity
• Passion for what I do
• Love and support from my family
• Freedom I get from living in the United States of America
• Philosophy on business...and life - Build Relationships, Solve Problems, Have Fun

Now that we've looked back in the rear view mirror, it's time to look out the big window in front of us, buckle up and step on the gas.

As they said in Smokey and The Bandit, "we've got a long way to go and a short time to get there."

Who knows...maybe this year "you're gonna do what they say can't be done."

Yeah, It's Kind of Like That

Open highway as far as you can see

Freshly cut grass

Warm donuts at Krispy Kreme

Clean sheets on the bed

A new jar of peanut butter

Your dog bounding to the door when you get home after work

Waking up ready for your day before the alarm ever rings

Being the first one in the pool after rest period

Opening Day for your favorite team in baseball

The sound of "pfffffft" when you crack that first beer on a hot summer day

Unpacking a new book after it arrives from Amazon.com

Walking on the beach right after low tide

Standing in a long line at the grocery check out when a cashier shouts, "I can help you in lane six"

New car smell

A blank sheet of paper and a new box of Crayolas

Yeah, welcoming a brand new year is kind of like that.

May you have a great year building relationships, solving problems and having fun.


Happy New Year -

Sean