How’s the view when you look back on 2010?

I’m currently in New Zealand as I write this post, and the view has been amazing.  2010 was also my biggest year (in the business world) by a long shot.

I expected big things to happen.  Not only did they happen, but a number of unexpected blessings occurred as well.  I’m so grateful for all the good from 2010, and there was one thing that set the tone early on that allowed me to focus throughout the year, and that was… having a plan.

Looking Back at 2010

It was mid January and I still didn’t have my “goals” set for the new year.  I met up with my good friends Jon Myers (creative business genius) and Barry Chandler from manageyourbar.com to discuss some things they were working on and it wasn’t 5 minutes into the conversation where I already felt like complete dog shit (in a good way).

Barry went through this entire story about how he knew what his goals were and had the entire year mapped out with the right systems in place for everything to work in order to achieve each goal.

I was still trying to figure out how to pay off three credit cards and didn’t even have one goal yet for the year.  In short, I felt like dog shit failure and the first month wasn’t over.

Something happened that night.

Barry laid it into me when I told him I hadn’t had any goals for the year.  It got so bad at one point that I got up during mid conversation, gave him a hug and told him “thanks for the tough love words of wisdom” and ran close to 2 miles home in the freezing Winter wind to map out my goals, and prepare for the launch of a sports business membership site that I had been putting off for months.

Taking Massive Action

Barry told me the entire time that I wasn’t taking enough massive action (even though I’d been known to do that a lot).  He lit up a fire inside me when he drilled home the point that launching my site didn’t have to be perfect, and that things would change over time so why try to perfect it when I’ll change it later.

I realized I was over analyzing things too much and decided to launch it asap.

Within a month the site was fully created with content, and a marketing plan for the rest of the year.  I now have over 350 monthly paying members, and a library of content that I could sell, plus a new business I didn’t have before… all because I took massive action.

I made a number of other goals that night for my other business with Sean Malarkey, and for my personal goals.

My business with Sean has exceeded our goals and expectations and my personal income increased 12 fold since the previous year.  Setting the tone that night for the year allowed me to invest in two start up companies, travel the world including London five times, Paris, Ireland, Buenos Aires, New Zealand, and nearly every major city in the U.S. to rack up a years worth of frequent flier miles.  It’s been an amazing year, and it all started with the night where I decided to map out some goals (thanks Barry!)

Have the “End” In Mind

Now that a new year is around the corner, it’s time to acknowledge the good and ugly from 2010, and start to figure out what you would want to have happen by the end of 2011.

Instead of just writing down what you want to have happen, make sure to frame the exact goals you want.

For example, “I want to do 2 million in total sales by December 31st”, or “I want 5 clients that pay me $10,000 each”, or “I want to write and publish my first book by March 16th”.  The more direct you are with your goals, the easier it is to work backwards and put the puzzle pieces in the right place at the right time.  Also writing your goal down, and hanging them in a frame on your wall acting as if you have already achieved them, tends to help me the most.

How to make 2011 Incredibly Awesome

Now that you realize you want to make this year freaking unreal, let’s break down the necessary steps to making that happen.  I created an overview of bullet points and unedited thoughts, but if you want to hear more of an explanation behind my thought process, then make sure you watch the video below that covers more detail.

1.  It’s All About Connecting and Building Your Network

• Make real world connections by showing up
• Attend the correct events
• ”BPB”  Business Passion Business or  “the 2am connection principle“
• Follow up sincerely

If it’s online then make it “feel” real world any way possible by sending them a happy birthday video on their Facebook wall, write an article about them, make 3 highly targeted introductions for them, etc.

2.  Taking Massive Action

I believe those who produce will be remembered, those who sit back and wait will be forgotten.

Steps for producing more:

• Start small, then make it bigger
• Write a free ebook
• Do a video series
• Write a monthly free webinar
• Just produce something!

Collaborate with your key connections and reach out to your network

Come out with something where you can take payment solo, or with a partner with someone who will do well in the things you aren’t great at if you don’t feel comfortable doing it.

Perception is reality, even if you don’t make money… those who produce will ultimately sell more and succeed over time.

3.  Prepare For The Big Game

Speak as often as possible in front of small and big groups.  Speak in person, on teleseminars, webinars and any other way possible to get in front of an audience.

Join Toastmasters and hone in on on presenting like a master!!!

• Presenting over and over will be crucial when preparing for the big game
• Everything is a small moment working towards big moments

Have a game plan:

• Content
• Speaking
• Products
• Services
• Events
• and more

4.  Document Your Success And “Misses” (not failures)

Do a monthly log of where you are and where you want to be

Celebrate the successes, and review the misses

Frame the end goal

5.  Enjoy The Journey Baby

Make the business stuff pleasurable

Have fun on the travel and enjoy what the city has to offer

Stay out late and connect on personal levels with people

Remember your passion, and live it daily/weekly

It’s not about the destination, its about the journey!

(video may take a second to load, please be patient

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What do you think about this process for making 2011 amazing?  Do you have these steps and your plan in place yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?

Image credit: smemon87

I have been blessed over the past year to meet some amazing individuals.  Most of the time these people are older and much wiser than me, however, there are a few individuals like David Siteman Garland, Dan Schawbel, Alex Shalman and James Wedmore (to name a few) who are younger than me… and still much, much wiser.

I’ll be showcasing some video interviews with these young super stars in the future, but in this article I want to share with you how James Wedmore is doing the right things to be a successful young entrepreneur.

1.  Education and Growth:

James is constantly learning and growing.  In fact, this is one of his greatest assets.  He is so eager to learn new things, read books, interview the top experts in the world, and etc…

Committing yourself to a “continuing education” mentality is a great thing, the only negative side I have seen to this is it has the ability to take away from us focusing on the current gold minds in front of us.  James is dedicated enough to stick to his game plan and focus on implementing until he achieves his goals, but for some, the “shiny ball syndrome” could come into play and distract you from the end goal.

2.  The “F U” Factor:

Being a young entreprenuer is a great feeling, however we sometimes face pressure from our family, friends, and society to get a J.O.B., and for those who have the “work for yourself” mentality, it becomes extremely frustrating to always hear from those you respect that it’s time to get a job (errrr!).

James is a class act, and his personality wouldn’t upset a fly, however, he doesn’t allow others to bring him down or try to convince him to get a 9-5 job.  It is that “F U” factor that allows James to keep stay focused on his projects and receive the results he is looking for.

3.  Fail Fast and Forget Quick

Carrie Wilkerson, A.K.A. “The Barefoot Executive” is a good friend and business mentor to both James and I, and she teaches people to fail fast if you know your project isn’t going to work out in the long run.  It’s tough because we get caught up in our “Big Idea” and end up spending to much of our time on something that isn’t profitable.  Some of us just can’t let go of a project, especially if we have put in months or years into it, but James is able tweak and test his processes, or move on from a project all in all if he knows it isn’t working for him.

Watch this short video to see what James has to say about being a young entreprenuer:

Whether you are young or old, what is your biggest struggle being an entreprenuer?  Also, share with me what you think makes a successful entreprenuer besides what James represents in the points above.