A do-it-yourself Happy New Year

In January we're all filled with good intentions for self-improvement: ending bad habits, losing weight, spending more time with family. Laudable as these goals are, they are often hard to achieve. And they rarely make a dent on how happy your New Year will really be.

So here is my simple, DIY proposal for creating what my friend Jennifer Green @jade_consulting calls "an amazing 2018!"

Forget resolutions.

Just write out 3 goals for 2018. And commit to spending 15 minutes every day to move those goals forward.

(Including weekends, if possible. It's all about momentum.)

Three simple, meaningful goals. In a business sense, they may involve refining your strategy, engaging with new technology, exploring social media, or getting better at new product development. You can also include personal goals in your agenda for change: getting better at follow-ups, for instance, or praising employees, or abolishing procrastination.

Business owners are lucky. Change is hard, but they don't have to do it alone. Pick a few plucky staff members who have spare capacity or want more involvement with the business. Deputize them to work with you (or by themselves, if that's easier) on one of the three new initiatives you've just prioritized. Give them your full support, a bit of a budget, and a deadline, and ask them to come up with a plan.

Delegating is good for both the delagater and the delegatee. So share the challenge, the workload, and the opportunity to make a difference. Here in the bleak midwinter, you'll kindle hope and light in your business, and optimism for the future.

Get out your daytimer and schedule in 15 minutes a day for moving three priorities forward. If you miss a day, spend 30 minutes the next day. Keep things moving!

A Happy New Year? It's in your hands.