New Years Resolutions To Get You Started In 2011

Written By: Patrick Wurtz

With New year ringing in (2011) we all are going to be doing the same thing as we did last year at this time and that is creating resolutions that are going to change our lives.  I have put together a list of resolutions/tasks to guide you in 2011 and make 2011 yours and my best year yet.

1. The Ever Popular Gym Membership

Of course we all know people or are people who are saying that they are going to get in the best shape of their life.  Talk is cheap.  If you are going to join a new gym make a promise to yourself that you will go at least 3 days, even better 4 days a week.  Going to the gym and working out once or twice a week doesn’t make a difference.  Sorry that’s just the truth.

Those who are already at a gym.  Instead of dilly dallying around start getting serious about your workout.  Spend 45 minutes to an hour and push yourself.  Go until full extreme failure and do the lifts that you hate doing cause they are the best (pull-ups, squats, abs, etc.) Push yourself!

2. Get your name as a domain name

Go buy your name’s domain name ie. patrickwurtz.com.  This will come in handy for some other things on this list but you never know when you are going to want to build your personal brand and you need to have a website for it.  Worst case scenario its a landing page for people to find your resume and work experience.  It looks good to have a domain too.  It shows power and knowledge

3. Start a Blog!!

You already have your domain now start a blog.  Use Tumblr, Blogger or WordPress.  It’s free, easy to set up and easy to manage/run.  ”But Patrick I don’t have anything to write about.” B*******! Write about your passion.  You are passionate about something.  Start writing about it.  There are millions of people out there who can and will find you because they are passionate about the same things and they want your information and they want to read what you are writing.

4. Get a Passport

If you don’t have one get one.  Its good for 10 years and you don’t have to worry about it once you get it.  We all have aspirations to travel.  Get your passport then you have the window open to travel anywhere you desire.

5.  Plan a vacation

You already have your passport now plan a vacation.  Vacation deals are very well priced right now.  You can take a cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico for 7 days for no more than $400.  That would be a life changing experience and its relatively affordable.  Vacations make you dream big and open up your mind to thought.  It is therapy and you must experience it as much as possible.  Make it Happen.  Save $100 a month starting in January and by the end of the summer you could be going somewhere tropical when the weather here is starting to get crummy.

6. Start a business

If you don’t have a business idea register your own name as an LLC.  Once your blog starts to get popular you can start writing off things because its for business.  It’s only 50 dollars to register a business.  Plus once it’s registered you will feel like you have a business to run and you will start acting like it.  Extra Motivation!!

7.Get an extra job Or save a little extra

I know the job market is tough right now.  But if you can get a part time barista, server or bartender job on top of what you are already doing you can boost your income.  The idea is to save $100 per week.  $20 per work day is the best idea.  One less latte per day and two less meals out per week and you will be well on your way.  Get rid of that magazine you apply for that you just don’t read or do less extravagant grocery shopping.  Do something to save yourself a couple bucks per week/month pretty soon you will start having a nest egg of money to either save, invest or pay off any debt you may have.

8. Do you what you love and are passionate about

The fact is that we are not getting any younger and aren’t going to get more drive and energy as we age.  Why not spend the time doing things you love to do while you are still your age and have the most amount of energy.  Play More and Work less.  Have you always wanted to learn an instrument? Have you always wanted to travel somewhere? Have you always wanted to write a book? Whatever it is.  Do It.  Don’t wait for the right time, Don’t wait for permission from someone or something, Don’t wait until all your T’s are crossed and your I’s are dotted.  Just do it.

9. Get into reading

Find a book about what you are passionate about or something you want to learn.  There is a book or resource out for anything and everything.  Expand your mind and trigger your brain to think and you might as well do it in something you are not being forced to read, its something you are passionate about.

10. Get More Sleep and Get Up Earlier

The early bird gets the worm.  Imagine if you gave yourself an extra hour every day.  That is an extra hour to blog, extra hour to read, extra hour to run your business, extra hour to make phone calls, extra hour to do some follow up e-mails, extra hour to plan that 2011 vacation.  Go to bed early so you can get up a little earlier to do what you need/want to do.  Go to bed an hour earlier, get a good night sleep and wake up an hour earlier ready to tackle your day

11. Take Time To Meditate and Think

Pick a spot that is a place where you can fully concentrate and/or just let your mind think.  I prefer a hot tub.  It is a different place for everyone.  It may be your bed, your car, the couch, on top of a mountain, on a trail or at a coffee shop.  Pick the place and go there at least once a week and just think.  Dream, think, set goals, re-align goals, align life, re-align life, reflect and just think.  Its therapeutic and you will come up with powerful life thoughts to propel you and keep you on track.

12. Eat Well

Your body is the most precious thing you have.  If you hurt it or destroy it you can have nothing else.  Put good stuff in your body.  Even if you are good during the week and slip on the weekends you are treating your body good 5 days a week.  When you go out to eat discipline yourself a couple times to get a salad and just drink water.  It won’t hurt you to slowly start making a conscious effort to eat healthy.  Your body thanks you.

This should get you started for 2011.  If you want more assistance and/or resources in 2011 please feel free to e-mail me at patrickwurtz@hotmail.com and we can help each other have the best year of our lives.