As many of you have seen, a popular Facebook game right now is to name your number. The idea is to list eleven things, five things or some number of things about your life. You get the point. So your number is six (with a twist). There are roughly six weeks left in the year 2013. What six things can you accomplish before end-of-year that will better your life? I’m suggesting that the delta gains you can make now would/could/should be both personal and professional. Most importantly, I want to hear from you.
Some high-level thoughts on what you can do to make a difference between NOW and end-of-year include:
- Small Business Saturday: This is another form of SBS that can benefit both you and your community. The “gives” would be you go shop at an actual small business on Main Street. The “gets” would be that your customers patronize your good business this coming Saturday, November 30th. Does that make sense?
- Six pounds: Start using MyFitnessPal over the next six weeks and try to lose six pounds. I’ll join the challenge. Friend me on this application site so we can support each other. I’m listed by my real name.
- Educate: Attend one webinar or workshop before the end of the year to embrace your smart side. Remember that the highest return on investment is education. It directly impacts your personal esteem and your pocketbook.
- Cold call six new customers: It’s not as bad as it sounds. I’m recommending that you go out shopping and meet six new people and ask about their technology needs. Be it the harried retail store manager (likely running a Windows XP point-of-sale system that needs to be replaced by April 8th), to a white collar professional in line at the coffee shop budgeting for next year’s IT needs. And the good news is that I’m not even suggesting you pick of the phone.
- Spy on six competitors: We all do it. Go ahead and use what can traditionally be a slower season for IT activity during the holidays to poke around the Web and see that the other guys are doing. Seriously – it’s all fair in love and war.
- Attend an IT trade association holiday party: Your local user group, IAMCP chapter, et al., likely has a holiday party planned over the next six weeks. You’ll be able to join me at the WSTA party on December 19th on Bainbridge Island.
So there are my “six” for you to consider. What say you?
Image Credit: MSOffice
