Actions Instead Of Predictions

Every year, around this time, folks start crafting their predictions for the upcoming year. What will be the next Twitter, who will be the next Chris Brogan, what the killer apps will be and why, who’ll get bought, sold, whatever.

But if I’m honest, speculation isn’t useful to me unless it’s tied to something tangible. Something I can DO something about.

So, instead of my predictions for 2010, I’m mapping out my actions for 2010. Sure, some of them are based on goals or plans or presumptions I have for how my work and business will happen this year. But I’d much rather spend my efforts at the end of a year planning what I can and will do, instead of musing about what may happen (and that’s typically out of my control).

Here’s some of what I’ll be thinking about:

• What things I can stop doing that are wasting time and effort, both personally and professionally


• How I can better scale my level of touch throughout my networks


• Ways I can capture and share thoughts on some fundamental concepts that are driving me right now, and that I think are helpful to business. They include things like how social culture is shifting business culture, what community-driven businesses look like (culturally and operationally), and what we need to be teaching the next generation to help them integrate into businesses, armed with new ideas and tools.


• Who in my network I can help get to their next place, and how


• How to channel my tendency to be irrationally passionate into fuel for solid, useful work


• What it means to be an effective leader, and how that applies to the work I do for and with others


• How I can make a bigger impact on the non-work causes and issues I believe in


• How I can teach my daughter to be a strong, independent person

So, what kinds of actions are you laying out for yourself this year? Not just goals and wishes and hope-fors, but actions that get you there? How are you tapping your strength and working around your weaknesses this year, and what did you learn last year that will help?

I’ve scribbled a lot down over the last few days that are real, tangible things I can do. Big and small. So instead of wasting those precious brain cells of yours musing about airy predictions, how about channeling them into work that matters?

Actions Instead Of Predictions