9 New Year's Resolutions for Every Entrepreneur The date provides a good excuse to put the past year into perspective and to explicitly declare what you want for the future.
By Stephen Key Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
New Year's resolutions serve an important purpose. After all, you can't write a resolution without reflecting on the past. I think New Year's resolutions should be thought of as a good excuse to put the year you've just had into perspective and to explicitly declare what you want for the future.
However, New Year's resolutions are tricky. When they are too specific or too unachievable, we inevitably abandon them.
Related: 4 Motivating TED Talks to Help You Keep Your New Year's Resolutions
I started thinking about my resolutions for this year and I wanted to share them with you. I think they're applicable to all entrepreneurs, actually. Please note that this isn't a list of my goals. In my mind, goals are different. They are less about the kind of person I want to be and more specific to figures and numbers. These are my resolutions.
1. Stop listening to my haters.
In our lives, there are individuals who hold us back and who do not have our best interests at heart. Unfortunately, sometimes these individuals are our oldest friends or even our family members. It's important to recognize when we just need to tune someone out. Make an effort not to engage. Break old patterns. Don't confide in anyone who isn't on your team.
2. Embrace a "garbage in, garbage out" mentality.
I am going to try to eliminate the negative thoughts and information that enter my brain and prevent me from moving forward as quickly as possible, including the news.
3. Eat foods that fuel my body and brain.
To be a superstar entrepreneur, you need to have energy. Drinking a lot of coffee shouldn't be a point of pride. Start each day by drinking warm water with lemon squeezed into it. I know you've read the research!
4. Get regular medical checkups.
Preventative medicine is the key to health. I want to continue growing my business, so I'm committed to staying on top of my health.
Related: 5 New Year's Resolutions That Set Up Entrepreneurs for Disappointment
5. Keep up with the news.
As I've written before, staying current is a must for entrepreneurs. You need to know what's going on in the world to make smart, forward-thinking decisions for your business as well as grow your social network.
6. Be more physically active.
Walk, bike or run -- do something. You will have more energy if you do.
7. Be patient.
Being quick to judge has only caused problems for me in both my professional and personal life. Make it a point to get all the facts before forming an opinion in 2015.
8. Have empathy for others.
How much better would the world be if people had more empathy?
9. Give more of my time.
I've offered my insight and advice to budding entrepreneurs before, and it was incredibly worthwhile. The person you help will be eternally grateful and you'll feel great for doing so.
What are your New Year's resolutions?
