1. Didn't take time out for me. I admit it, I have the typical entrepreneur bug. I spent way too much time working on my business and not nearly enough time on me. In 2006, I plan to take more breaks and schedule in some "me-time."



2. Wasn't as consistent with my own marketing. Much like not taking time out for me, I also struggled with not taking as much time as I should have for marketing my own business. (Remember the old adage of the shoemaker's children running around barefoot? Marketing my clients' businesses always came before my own.) Now, my business has grown rapidly, so although I'm not exactly complaining, I do wonder where I'd be if I had been more consistent about my own marketing.

3. Got distracted. One of my biggest problems is what my coach, Melanie Benson Strick, Success Connections, calls "bright shiny object syndrome." That's where you find yourself chasing all sorts of bright shiny objects (also known as "new" opportunities or "new" ideas) rather than focusing on your core business systems. What happens is you end up with a lot of half-finished or barely-started ideas and very few actually completed.

I unfortunately have this syndrome bad. Although I'm much better than I used to be, I still allowed myself to get distracted by a few half-baked plans in 2005.

Which leads me to #4...

4. Didn't attain a couple of my business goals. Because I allowed myself to get distracted, I didn't meet a couple of business goals in 2005. Needless to say, this mistake is at the top of my list of issues to address in 2006. Now that I know how to eliminate the vast majority of distractions, I'm looking forward to getting even more tasks accomplished in 2006.

5. Waited too long to do the things I did right. Okay, I know this is the wrong thing to focus on, but I just have to say it and then I can move on. 2005 was such a banner year for me and a large reason for that was because of the 5 Things I Did Right (you can read that article on my blog.) But unfortunately, I also can't help wondering where I would be if I hadn't waited so long to start doing those things.

Okay, I said it, and now I can move on. But please, if nothing else, don't make THIS same mistake - read my article on the 5 Things I Did Right and see if there are a few things you can implement in your business. That may be the ticket to turning 2006 into your best year ever.