My answer is goals, and I hope that is your answer, too. Guessing at what the year may bring is fun and might give you some insights about how you see the world (optimist versus pessimist), but if you want to see results, setting goals is your best bet. Goals help direct our thoughts, keep us focused, and create a sense of urgency. And goals that adhere to the SMART formula--Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-framed--will be easier to achieve. It will also be easier to chart your daily/weekly or monthly progress, or lack thereof. Since starting my own GIS consulting company, Intersect, writing and reviewing daily goals is an every-morning task. I start my day by asking, "What is the most important thing I need to accomplish today?" Then I quickly write a list of the tasks. If the tasks or steps are too big, I break them into smaller, more manageable tasks that ultimately lead to finishing that goal. You will be amazed at how this simple habit keeps you on track and moving in a successful direction, a direction that you create and that can be changed very quickly. These two phrases--"you create" and "can be changed very quickly"--are usually manifested more effectively in smaller firms than in larger ones. I'm "guessing" that goals should be my answer as well. In better economic times, the temptation to make a few guesses would be present, especially on the personal side of things. But with all the guessing being done by economists, stock market analysts, and other experts, I should have some well-thought-out goals and plans for this and future years. As the old saying states, if you don't know where you're going, you certainly won't know when you get there.
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