In the spirit of the time honored tradition of new year’s resolutions, I thought I’d share what I’ve decided to STOP doing for 2011 and beyond.

So without further ado, let’s indulge in some modern day voodoo / sympathetic magic / psycho-cybernetics / egotistical self-justifying cathartic mumbojumbo, shall we:

In 2011 and beyond, I will:
 

1. STOP underachieving to stay within my comfort zone (see 2.)



I guess you could say that I’m a notorious underachiever. It’s a lazyness an energy conservation kinda thing, I venture. Thermodynamics and all that. I guess being “really good” doesn’t make you “remarkable”, though. I don’t blame anyone but myself, but school and being a slave salaryman for years certainly made me lose the will to live reinforced the path of least resistance in me.

START stepping way out of my comfort zone by going back to being self-employed, founding and bootstrapping a new startup – and moving together with my long-time girlfriend.

 

2. STOP working hard at waiting for someone else to pick, deputize, knight or crown me (see 1.)



START taking matters back into my own clammy hands and leave the greasy pole salaryman rat-race. Who’s the boss now? Well, I am. I alone am now responsible for my success – or failure.

 


3. STOP only doing what I’m good at (see 1.and 2.)



Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you should be doing it. Have you ever thought about that?

START throwing myself off cliffs, forcing me to learn how to fly whilst falling.

 

4. STOP not focussing my time and energy (see 1. 3. and 5.)



Passion comes easy – I seem to have unlimited amounts of it. Focusing it is hard – I have seemingly unlimited interests and fleeting distractions.

START focusing, disciplining, killing all but one of my pet projects (or at least put them in suspended animation or better yet – put them up for adoption, delegate them or give them away), working towards ONE goal doing ONE thing at a time on ONE project, putting my skin in the game, committing the time and resources, going out on a limb, sticking my neck out and risking failure.

 

5. STOP criticizing (see 3. and 4.)




START giving, helping, praising more than receiving, criticizing, chiding. It’s easy and cheap to be negative and criticize or comment without taking the time to reflect and suggest solutions and improvements. But, as Carnegie reminded us: “Be lavish in your praise and hearty in your approbation.” and as Lincoln said: “A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall.”. I’m OK, you’re OK. I guess not everybody’s OK, but we’re both OK, OK?

If you catch me relapsing, feel free to verbally abuse and humiliate me in public and on the Internet.

What are you going to STOP doing in 2011?