Well, it's that time again—time to start rolling out the New Year's resolutions. Some of us will vow to eat less, exercise more, live in the moment, be more grateful. You may even decide to bury the hatchet with the family member who makes you so crazy.

But what about your New Year's business resolutions?

This time of year is a great time to start making—and keeping—business resolutions, too. But sadly, like our personal goals, we often make them (year after year) with sincere intent only to see them quickly fall by the wayside, as we revert to (bad) habits that we have vowed to break.

But what about the most successful people and their resolutions? Have you noticed how the most accomplished people just seem to identify important things and consistently get them done?

Study successful people long enough and you start to pick up on the resolutions they seem to consistently make.

Here are ten of my favorites:

#1 Spend more time on the not-to-do list

Strategy is the art of sacrifice. That's why you may consider creating a larger clearing for what really matters by first identifying, and then avoiding, what matters the least. Your time is a treasure to be invested. Creating a list of things that you are notgoing to do, allows you to invest more of your treasured time on the few things that matter the most.

#2 Essential first, email second

What's the first thing you do in the morning? For many of us, it is looking at email. We wake up with a renewed mind and spirit, ready to take on the world, and then we immediately allow ourselves to be distracted by an insignificant email. Instead, wake up, take on the most important task of the day, and then (and only then) hit the email.

#3 Resolve to think about “Who” instead of “What”

Do you work for a “What” business or for a “Who” business? Successful companies run the risk of focusing too much on their current products and distributors thus—the “What”—losing sight of the constant and dramatically changing needs of their customer base. (The “Who.”) Insurance, pharma, health care, higher education often listen too much to their agents, doctors and professors. The real innovation starts with the end consumer.

#4 Resolve to find your purpose

As my friend Simon Sinek will tell you: People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Starting a career, a company or any kind of journey that is based firmly on your purpose is foundational to success and happiness. If you don't know your company's purpose or even your own, finding one is the worthiest of resolutions. Find out Forbes.com's remaining 6 tips from entrepreneur Mike Maddock.

Instant Insights /

Ten Resolutions The Most Successful People Make and Then Keep

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