What Does 2004 Hold For You?

by: Jim Edwards

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved http://www.thenetreporter.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- With 2004 almost upon us, right now makes the best time to start setting your goals for the coming year. Don't wait until December 31st at 11:00 p.m. to throw together a list of things you might want to accomplish in the next 12 months. Decide right now! Make a commitment to improving your life and the lives of others and not just to make the same old "New Year's resolutions." If the simple act of making resolutions were enough, we would all stop smoking, exercise daily, lose weight, own a luxury car, get out of debt, and earn $100,000 per year! Sad fact: most resolutions barely make it past January 1st. But have no fear! If you're serious about setting and keeping your resolutions this year, then the Internet can rescue you from backsliding on your goals. Check out these tips for using the Web to keep you on target for 2004. ~~ Break Bad Habits ~~ Quit smoking. Lose weight. Make more money. Three of the most popular New Year's resolutions that never seem to "stick!" Log on to search engine www.Google.com, put in "break bad habits" and you'll drown under the amount of information for quitting just about anything. However, before you throw your hands up in disgust, you need to understand the point of the exercise. It clearly demonstrates that the information you need to stop (or start) doing virtually anything to change your life exists, especially online. No matter what you want, somebody operates a website, wrote a book, produced a video, created some articles, or made a CD that contains the answers you need to make changes. Just log on, hunt down the information, and take action on it. Some suggested phrases to help make your searches more productive: "stop smoking," "lose weight," "end procrastination," "improve self-esteem." ~~ Talk To The "Future" You ~~ Many companies online will help you keep your New Year's resolutions by sending you email reminders throughout the year (for a monthly fee). But, instead of paying, you can set up your own reminder service. Log on to www.timecave.com and sign up for a free account. Then sit down for an hour or two and think about the challenges you will face in 2004. Write yourself encouraging notes in the future about how to stay on track. Then, over the course of the year, you will receive your own reminders and encouragement just when you need them most. ~~ What Makes The Difference? ~~ Choosing to take consistent ACTION makes the difference between a wish and a goal! A "wish" would be nice to have -if it isn't too difficult. A "goal" is something you choose to act upon daily with a plan and commitment - no matter what! The best summary I've ever seen of this principle comes from the second book in the "Harry Potter" series when Professor Dumbledore tells Harry, "It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." (I have that quote taped to the top of my monitor) The information to accomplish virtually anything is just a few mouse clicks away online and much of it's absolutely fr^e. Choose to use that information to make 2004 better for yourself and others. About the author: Jim Edwards, a.k.a. TheNetReporter.com, is a syndicated newspaper columnist, nationally recognized speaker, author, and web developer. Owner of nine (9) successful e-businesses as well as a professional consulting firm, Jim's writing comes straight off the front lines of the Internet and e-commerce. Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months... without spending a dime on advertising! ==> http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com Circulated by Bandoni Media