I was thinking last night about work and some principles / resolutions I'd like to see in my own life in the new year. Quick caveat: they are simply the 8 thoughts I had last night during a moment of inspiration, but I think they're still helpful. They are:

1) Pray for God's grace. He gives us the strength for the inputs as well as gets all the credit for the outputs. I need His grace for vision, wisdom and strength.

2) Focus on diligence. My hope is to be more consistent every day, realizing that we tend to overestimate what we can do in the short-term and underestimate what we can do in the long-term.

3) Act strategically. Rather than trying to be involved in every aspect of our business, I'd like to grow in my ability to think strategically and to focus on those areas of greatest leverage.

4) Prepare well. Daily, I'd like to plan and prepare for each day, taking the time to prioritize those things which are the highest priorities.

5) Celebrate small victories. Rome wasn't built in a day and while my mind might see the end game and be frustrated that we're not there yet, it will be important to celebrate the smaller steps on the way.

6) Build relationships. I'd like to place a greater emphasis on developing relationships with my staff so that I can be a greater encouragement to them, both personally and professionally.

7) Motivate through clarity. Motivating others is such a key component of my job and so I'd like to grow in providing clear direction and expectations as well as by offering better accountability and praise.

8) Confidently move forward. Start-ups can get you down, but with #1 in mind, I resolve to trust my instincts and to move forward in confidence, expecting and anticipating success.