Have you ever wondered just how long you have to get someone’s attention and get them to read your blog post? I can tell you that you only have a matter of seconds, just simply from the nature of our microwave society.  We’re so used to hearing sound bytes, short commercials and flashes of information that are delivered to us very quickly that we’re easily distracted and also easily bored.

And if you’re blogging, your readers are probably being bombarded by about 60 million other things when they’re seeing your blog for the first time.  Or even the second time.  Just think about how you spend your days at the computer.  Do you ever have only one window open on your desktop?  How many tabs do you have open in your web browser?  As I’m writing this, I have 6 tabs open (which is actually a small number for me) and 6 programs running on my system right now.

And I’m not alone.

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OK, so I’m jumping on the bandwagon with every other blogger in the known world (and basically every other publishing medium) and am going to talk a little bit about the New Year.

We’re in the last couple of days of 2009 and it’s time to look forward to 2010. I’m going to start by saying that as you look back on 2009, if there are things you wanted to accomplish and didn’t, or goals set that you couldn’t achieve, don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on it. Realize what happened, acknowledge it, wallow in it for the next 30 seconds, then move on. I’ll wait while you do so.

Done? Good. Moving on…

Each new year brings with it the promise of new challenges, new goals, and new horizons for each of us in our lives and business efforts.  And each of us will have drastically different goals.  Maybe you’re just starting to think about starting your own business, whether it’s online or offline.  It’s an exciting time to get started and you should definitely follow through with your thoughts.

Perhaps you’ve been working at your “work from home” business for a few months now and are having a hard time getting things off the ground.  No worries, it’s time to refocus and start achieving things.

Maybe you’ve been in business for yourself for some time and are seeing some success, but you’re looking for more this year.  Congrats on your success, now challenge yourself in the new year to achieve more.

I encourage you to sit down in the next few days and plan the coming year.  As you do, here’s 3 questions to ask that may help guide you in defining your goals and seeing where you want your business to go…

1.What are your financial goals for 2010?

How much money do you want to make this year?  I mean it!  Don’t just decide that you’re going to start a business from home, decide what your financial goal is.  Only you can determine how much money you want your business to make.  Some people want to make enough to pay for their car payment or mortgage, some want to have a full-time income.  And some want to be Bill Gates.  Whatever your goal is, be very specific in it.  I’d even go so far as to put a monthly goal, not just a yearly goal.  Splitting your earnings up by month makes it seem more achievable, rather than looking at one big lump sum.

2.How much are you willing to work on your business this year?

Your answer to this question will have a direct effect on question 1.  Don’t want to work much, don’t be surprised if you don’t reach your financial goals.  No matter what you may have heard in your searching online, there is absolutely no “get rich quick” plan.  Doesn’t exist, never will.  Only if you win the lottery can this happen.  Anyone that has had any success with their business has put in a lot of sweat and tears and suffered many setbacks and disappointments, and I’m no exception.  That’s partially why I’m calling this year my “Put Up of Shut Up” campaign.  I’ve been online for nearly 4 years now and it’s high time I start doing this full-time.  And I’m going to, this year.

3. Are you prepared for success in 2010?

As strange as it may seem, the fear of success actually keeps more people from going out and getting what they want than almost anything else.  What will you do when you make more money this year than you ever have before?  What will happen if you finally achieve success?

Get prepared.  I believe that you can do it this year.  I believe you can because I believe that I can.  This is your year.  This is your time.  Make a choice today to create a better life for yourself and your family.  Stop settling for second best, you deserve better.  Stop believing that you’re not worth it.  You are.

Step out into the new year with a renewed sense of purpose and reach for your dreams one more time.  They’re still waiting for you and they can’t wait for you to catch them.

Happy New Year, world changers.

To Your Success in 2010 and Beyond,

Mike Paul

P.S. – By the way, if you’re looking for an opportunity for the new year, why don’t you join the 2010 Dream Team? There’s a huge opportunity for you and we’re ready to help you along the way.  Check it out!

2010 Dream Team