It’s four days before Christmas. I’m almost finished with end-of-the-year client needs, and I’m sitting on the couch listening to the Cozy December playlist—no judgements.
These past two weeks, I’ve been thinking about what 2023 will look like. This leads to the inevitable conversation about New Year’s resolutions.
Usually, New Year’s resolutions aren’t my thing.
Here’s why. I don’t see the point in waiting for January 1 each year to do something you know you should start today. Most people also fail at the resolutions by February anyways.
But 2023 feels different. I need some goals to guide me through the first full year as an entrepreneur, so I’m more willing than in previous years to give it a chance.
I’m also posting these here to create some accountability. I have two resolutions, one professional and one personal:
- Write Consistently
- Prioritize Self-Care
Write Consistently
For entrepreneurs, social media is your best friend. Every influencer, business coach and marketer will tell you this.
They’ll also tell you to build an email list, publish a newsletter, write a blog and respond to every social media response. This all leaves little time to run a business and help clients.
I get their points. They’re just running a different race than most people. Not everyone’s goal is to amass 200,000 Twitter followers or make 7-figures per year from online courses.
Most marketers also abuse the advice and end up spamming LinkedIn and Twitter with self-promotion rather than useful content that engages people.
I haven’t posted on my company’s social media account for two months. Guess what—the business is steadily growing.
Part of why I’ve pulled back on social media is to see how it affects the business. The other half is because I was pondering what it means to be a responsible member of our digital spaces.
How can I add to the online community without spamming friends and family?
Lastly, the permanency of the content we post online makes me anxious. Social media allows people to look back years from now and see our bad takes or naive opinions
This tweet is a good example.
I’m currently reading Traffic Secrets by Russell Brunson. In one chapter, he writes about how creative entrepreneurs get creating for themselves wrong. He argues creatives initially try to create something truly unique and memorable that shows the full extent of our creative abilities.
Some do it seeking virality. Others do it for art or recognition. Whatever the reason, this sets unrealistic expectations and takes too much time to create consistently. That’s why few creatives consistently publish.
Instead of focusing on creating, he argues creatives should focus on documenting. This takes the burden off of creating something special, takes less time, allows us room to grow and permits us to forgive ourselves down the road.
Documenting our journeys also has the potential to benefit other creatives in our communities.
In 2023, I’m going to start writing on this blog. I’ve already created a content calendar, lined up people to interview and automated as much as possible.
If you’re a creative entrepreneur early in your journey or are interested in becoming a creative entrepreneur, I hope this benefits you.
Prioritize Self-Care
2022 has been a great year. I graduated from MBA school, went out on my own, launched a business and finally went on a vacation with my wife. There’s a lot to celebrate, but it’s also been a lot of hard work.
Starting a business is a non-stop endeavor. During the day, you’re working with clients and building the foundation for your business. In the evening, you’re brainstorming ideas and driving your spouse crazy. It takes a toll on everyone.
These past few weeks, I’ve felt drained. It’s nothing bad. I can just tell my batteries need recharging, and I need to establish better routines.
A month ago, my wife got us a gym membership with a local gym. I started running on the treadmill during lunch a few days each week (because nothing is worse than running outside in the cold).
It allows me the opportunity to clear my head during the day, get active and feel like I at least accomplished something on unproductive days.
(Note: If you’re interested in dietetic counseling or personalized exercise plans, I know great people that would love to help you).
In 2023, I want to prioritize self-care more than I have in previous years. This includes working out more (read: again), creating stricter work schedules and separating my work from my personal life.
It’s no secret that I’m bad at putting work down, so I want to work on that in 2023.
Beyond the personal benefits, I hope this allows me to begin each day feeling more refreshed and ready to make good decisions for growing my business.