Happy New Year! Five Goal Setting Tips for 2009
As 2008 sets into history like a sunset, 2009 will dawn upon us with hopes of a fresh start.
How did 2008 go for you?
I had an awesome year with many goals achieved, some even exceeded. One particular achievement I was ecstatic about was being able to maintain the same volume of sales at Mr.Gadget despite the unfavourable economic climate. Thank God!
If you don’t know where you’re going, you probably will never get there
However, if I hadn’t set any goals I wouldn’t be able to see and celebrate these type of milestones. Before 2008 ends, I want to encourage you to at least set one goal for 2009. A lot of people ask me about my success online and I can share that one major part of it is goal setting, tracking these goals, adjusting and then assessing them once completed.
This is the perfect time of year to gear up for success for 2009.
1. Start off with ONE goal
I actually divide my goals into categories such as family, spirituality, business, social media and physical. If you’re new to goal / resolution setting I would recommend just do something really simple – start off with one goal. Take some time to think of where you’d like to be this time in 2009 and then write it down. Very simple.
2. Track it month by month
It’s important to assess how this goal is going so designate one particular day a month to see how that goal is going. For example if your goal is to lose 10 kg, perhaps an approach you could take is to lose approximately 1kg per month.
3. Adjust if falling behind
If you find that you’re not meeting your monthly goal, adjust your activities so that you’re back on track. Using the example of losing weight, you can do some extra workout sessions.
4. Keep the end goal in mind
Always imagine yourself achieving your goal and the benefits of your success. This will keep you going through the tough times when you feel like things are hopeless.
5. Celebrate!
Remember to celebrate and share your success with others when you achieve it. You’d be surprised at how you could inspire someone else to achieve great things with your story.
I wish you all the best for 2009 and if you need any encouragement or wish to share your success please drop me a line 
Twitter is growing exponentially – Get on it!
For those even remotely interested in social media or SEO, I would advise you to create a Twitter account immediately.
According to Hubspot.com, Twitter usage is increasing very rapidly with an estimated 5,000-10,000 new accounts being created everyday.
As a business owner (Mr.Gadget), Twitter provides a new way to connect even closer with an international market which is exactly what I have been trying to tap into with my new web projects that are underway.
The other powerful thing about Twitter is the love Google gives each user page – I’ve seen some Twitter accounts whose users have trivial websites (not regularly updated and poorly ranked) have Twitter user pages with Google page ranks of 6/10! This translates into humongous backlinks to wherever it gets pointed to. It’s like their Twitter page has become their website and given them an audience and search engine power that before they could only dream of.
I only started Twittering in earnest at the start of November. Today I have 2,300+ followers, not because I am overly captivating but because I believe I have figured out how Twitter works. As a result, I’m slowly compiling an eBook on how what Twitter is, how to attract a large following in only a couple of weeks and then how to use it to help your business. Keep an eye on this blog for more information. If you’re super keen to get tips right away, send me a direct message or @ message on Twitter (mr_gadget).
Again if you’re not on Twitter yet, I encourage you to get on and start building your network and profile.
My friend Darren (@problogger), has also created a website to help you with a tonload of Twitter tips. His website is : http://www.twitip.com (make sure you tell him I sent you!).
http://www.twitter.com/mr_gadget
30 Day Challenge Melbourne Meetup 2008
It’s not everyday that you get to hangout with an Internet A-lister like Ed Dale, but last night, for 20 or so 30DayChallenge students, we did just that!
Ed Dale is famous for making millions of dollars by creating online niches and buying and selling websites. Some of his other renowned activities include secretly wearing a mankini, doing vidcasts in front of wild animals, collecting vintage guitars and lately generating some cash on the side with his mesmerizing iPhone app (The Mind Machine).
Despite his ultra-busy schedule, Ed is a people-person who values the importance of spending time with his apprentices. He has no airs about him and is very approachable. There are some “gurus” who have accomplished similar feats online through the help of normal people like us, yet won’t give you the time of day. What a sad legacy they’ll leave.
I think I got to meet everyone at the do and I was able to listen to some wonderful stories about how the ThirtyDayChallenge helped them not only understand how to create a niche but also how to make some decent passive income from it.
Some of new friends that I met were (using Twitter names):
- @preneur : Pete Williams
- @alicam : Alister Cameron
- @brenthodgson : Brent Hodgson
- @lynnterry : Lynn Terry
- @paulyoung : Paul Young
- @jaypee : JP
Please follow these interesting peeps on Twitter if you’re on it.
Others whose Twitter accounts I could not find were:
- Rob Anderson
- Cameron
- Ben
I apologize if I have missed anyone. Photos from the night are here.
If you are looking for a way to make money using the Internet, I can genuinely say that the ThirtyDayChallenge.com is the best thing I have seen to date. In fact it’s so good, I’ve joined for the extended version (Plus). Through the former, I have created 5 niche sites which are generating more than enough to pay my coffees everyday. I’ve also used the tools that were introduced in the programme to help me flip my first domain name – I’ll blog about this again some time but in a nutshell, was able to sell a fresh domain name for US$500 while watching a movie one Friday evening!
2009 should mark the year that this blog comes back to life. So watch this space for more regular updates.
If I don’t see you before Christmas, may your’s be peaceful and may you have time to contemplate the meaning behind this amazing birthday.
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