Happy New Year everyone. Now that we've gotten sufficiently past all the top 10 lists of 2021, and made and quit our bold New Year's resolutions, let's get to work on being the best you you can be, okay?

I know I've sufficiently procrastinated on publishing. I wish I could say I was as consistent as Polina, who hasn't missed a date in more than four years of her newsletter. But I haven't been sitting idle, either. Rather, I ordered a pile of recommended books and am working through them one by one to bring you a better me.

Nat Eliason sent over a link in his newsletter to this year end review and planning guide that I worked through a couple weeks ago. It's fairly daunting so know that if you even consider 50% of what's in there, you're far ahead of most people. Seriously.

Out of that, I set some lofty goals not to be outdone by all the bold New Year's resolutions. I made them hard to force me to think differently, work differently and act differently.

The most important goal for myself - and you - no matter where you focus your work is building an audience. Because that's where you'll find the path to financial security. Kevin Kelly has written about how it takes just 1,000 fans willing to buy everything you do to support you. And every successful online entrepreneur achieves their success by cultivating an audience that believes in what they do. Every successful employee progresses in their career because people believe in what they do.

As a marketer, the company database is a prime asset nurtured and protected.

As an individual, your network can make or break you in times of need. Your audience doesn't need to be huge. It just needs to be made of the right people. You can't buy your audience no matter how many people peddle "5,000 new Instagram followers, guaranteed."

Work and life is all about the relationships we keep.

You'll unsubscribe if I'm irrelevant or put out crap that wastes your time. I always think about that and am always thinking about improving what I write. I confess it's my overthinking in this area that stalls or delays my publishing. You're seeing me work this out in real time. Unvarnished.

If you do nothing else in 2022, work on building and nurturing offline and online relationships. Respect them. Don't take them for granted.

I believe that your financial independence and your means of diversifying your revenue will come from the audience(s) you build.

It's also really hard to do because there's so much great content out there. There's unending competition for your attention. Which is why you have to find your why. Think signal over noise. Even if it's to grow in your current job, you need to know why you want to do this. And where you want to go. It starts inside.

My audience goal this year is to grow this newsletter to 10,000 subscribers and build a Twitter following of 30,000. That's up from just about 100 of you today following along here and just under 1800 on Twitter. I did say my goals were lofty, right?

These goals mean I need to do things differently than I'm doing right now. I need to up my game. To actively promote this newsletter. To partner with other creators. To generate press. In short, to put myself out there. Let's see how I do.

Start a business, or buy a business?

I'm reading "Buy Then Build" about how to buy and then build a business rather than start one. It's sage advice on how to think about what you want to do, most notably focusing not on industry or type of business, but assessing your skillset and what type of project you want. It’s a good mindset for founders too.

Most aspects of business are fairly consistent from industry to industry. What matters more is your aptitude, attitude and action.

For example, do you want to:

High-growth
Turnaround
Eternally profitable (typically timeless but minimal growth potential)
Platform (an entrance to an industry where you build vertically)

After conducting your personal assessment and getting clear about what you want, you develop a target statement. For example,

"I'm looking for a [choose product, distribution, or service] company with [type of growth opportunity], generating [define size by SDE (Seller Discretionary Earnings), with [these limiters]" - Walker Deibel, Buy Then Build

I believe this approach works for identifying your next career move too.

Consider a personal target statement such as:

"I'm looking for a [insert job title, type of opportunity, etc.] with a [insert type of company: B2B, Consumer, product, technology, SAAS] company that offers [define compensation goals, parameters] and utilizes my [what core skills you do you want to spend your most time using] that [insert any qualifications / limitations]"

Imagine how much confidence and focus it gives your job search when you're clear about what you want and don't want. Imagine how much stronger you'll interview.

Really get clear about what you are and what you're not.

Ideas to go

Ideas are a dime a dozen. I once read about a practice of coming up with 10 business ideas per day. Some years ago (clearly I never executed) I tried this for a time. It was suggested you do this for six months. Most ideas will be bad. The point is to get used to generating ideas. Lots of them. Think of it like working out. The more consistently you exercise, the more fit you'll be. Try it. It's hard. And I certainly didn't do this for six months myself!

Here are 30 from circa 2015. They mostly suck. But maybe you'll find a magic angle:

The conversationalist. I'll have the tough conversations so you don't have to.
Just right. Come here to get exactly the right thing whatever that thing is.
The boutique doggie hotel for those who don't like leaving fido behind.
Dental dreams. Dreamscapes and soundtracks that transport you away from the cavity filling underway.
Cubicle therapy - website devoted to designer cubicle workspaces to make the 9-5 enjoyable no matter what your boss tosses at you. (Obviously long before we all worked from home)
The procrastinator's guide to effective procrastination
The ultimate guide for DIY right. How to be a home renovator not a home wrecker.
Top 10 ways to always keep you technology current without going bonkers.
How to lead a boring life. A guide for interesting people.
Veggie Popsicles
How to survive the antiscientist. A guide to modern livings (written several years before this was such a thing).
Parody all the self-help success guru's in a book / art project.
The 'Feel Better Now' app. Just spend one minute a day with this app where ever you are and feel better instantly.
Antidote for waiting. Distract your mind from the agony of waiting for anything (because we want it all RIGHT NOW!)
The Gallery of Crap. Taking the worst of consumerism and making art.
The Interventionist. Help people who are in total denial.
The pretentious hipster. A guide to everything you need for success.
The nerd's guide to being a hipster.
The definitive guide to the apps you need vs. the one's you don't. We review thousands of top apps and recommend only the essential best.
Decision making coaching and counseling. We help you make the decision you've already made but are too scared to act on.
The Elder Coach. Help seniors design and build a vibrant new chapter in their lives.
Design the next for profit but ethical college. Train people to compete in the new job market.
GreenChips. Healthy tortilla chips; just like eating a real salad.
Develop a line of modern lights using only sustainable materials.
The upside of downsizing. Helping empty nesters transition to cool smaller digs.
The Art of Schlepping. The guide to the tools and practices of moving big stuff easier.
The Ethical Tradeshow producer who doesn't screw everyone over.
Choose your vice. Safe alternatives to unhealthy and destructive vices.
Develop Leed-certified Senior living you'd actually want to live in.
Dog Head Crackers featuring all of your favorite breeds in a tasty cracker. "Dogeeze.”