Some Good Old Uncommon Sense For The Year Ahead

As we race into this year, I’m going to try hard to stick to some of the principles I wrote about last year. They’re all grounded in common sense and can be applied at home, in your professional lives, and to curate a vintage new year.

Results Count
Look back at your past year, perhaps the past three—after all great things do take time—and celebrate your successes and your failures. Your failures can be just as celebratory as your successes as they teach valuable lessons that provide the foundation for future success. Think about what you learned and what you want to change, then refine what success looks like for the year ahead—setting audacious and achievable goals.

It’s Called Work For A Reason
Many of us work too much. And although making a living and supporting yourself and those you love is important, you should always ensure you’re doing what you love.

Revisit your values and what’s important to you on a personal level. Those foundational principles should guide decisions around how you live and work. List the principles that are central to who you are and guide how you think and behave. Put your values to work daily throughout the year ahead in. Decide what you really care about and the role you can play to help make a positive change in the world.

Make It Personal
What you get out of this year, your job, the relationships you’re in, and life in general is completely up to you. So take charge and make it personal. Adopt an own-it attitude and put 110% into everything you do—whether it’s the task you dread most at your job, or that chore at home you find yourself avoiding. Embrace it, own it—what you put in will 100% impact what you get out. Ask yourself what type of person you want to be this year. Attitude is everything. It’s up to you to make it 2014 a year to remember.

Be The Dumb One In The Room
Let’s face it, you learn more from being the dumb one in the room than you do the smartest—what’s there to learn? Make an attempt to talk less and listen more.

Schooling You
Everything you do matters. Really. You are the sum of all of your words, actions, promises and relationships—so make them matter.

Brands Are Like People, People Are Like Brands
People and brands can both learn from unplugging. It’s important to set time aside to think about the big picture. Time is the most valuable commodity we’re given. The weeks and months fly by, so plan your time carefully and don’t waste it. Spend your time generously and make it matter.

Always Be Learning
Trust your confidence, avoid your arrogance, and reject ignorance. You’re as smart as you set out to be. So pick up a book, sign-up for that class, start the project you’ve been too scared to embark upon, run a marathon, or learn to surf. There’s nothing like the excitement that comes from learning and doing something for the first time.

Photo: 416Style