12 Things to Stop Doing in 2009

Great thoughts for the new year. I only hope that given the current econ we have the opportunity to work on things of interest rather than keeping our heads down till the sun comes out again — I get a bit antsy when the projects are mundane. Maybe even work Twitter into some social marketing initiates :)

This list actually got me psyched about 2009. Sometimes I need a little kick in the pants to realize that I do need to change the way that I work, write and live. This is a great reminder as well as a fantastic place to start. I’m adding “Stop wasting time.” to my personal list. I spend entirely too much time poking around thinking and not doing. Why put it off? Make it happen! Happy New Year!

Very zen indeed.

Things to add:
Stop spending recklessly, including spending on mass media if it’s not getting you anywhere.

DO learn the art of “friendship first”…build relationships before you shout out to the world “look at meeeeeeee”

Great post, again! Michael Gerber, E-Myth fame, said this very thing on stopping… Actually, he comes from the side of Concentration: The Skill of Concentration, which means focusing and having to stop doing things .

Hippy New Year,
John

good advice for the procrastinator/self deprecating (me). Am working on changing my spots, will keep my focus in 09!
Thanks to you and the like.

Know what you can achieve and tackle that list. But don’t limit yourself to the point of not growing.

@The Philster -

That was a great read, thank you.

@chrisbrogan

I can’t wait to get started on #6 of your To-Do’s.

The post is good, but I disagree with your first “Dont” of 2009. You said stop writing about Twitter. Alas, I think you spend too much time around people who have jumped into the deep end of the social media pool.

the truth is that most folk I encounter off of the internet look at me like I am from Mars when I talk about Twitter. (“I just dont get it”). Alas, I think in 2009 people need to keep writing/talking about Twitter. Maybe not on a blog that is read by social media gurus…. but many many people still have not heard the real story yet.

Just my two cents.

thom

I really like the 6 “to-do’s” instead of the 12 things to “stop” doing. I think we can all achieve more if we think of things that we can do, instead of things that we need to stop doing. It puts us in a positive frame of mind and make us have a much more “can do” attitude.

Great ideas Chris! You also just saved me some time of thinking of some good New Year’s Resolutions!

How about just one thing?

“Use Social Media to make the world better, to make people happier.”

Chris,

Sage advice from someone so young. (!)

You are truly an idea factory. I’m hunkered down trying to learn web marketing, and you keep stressing how important the conversation is to the process.

Thanks for this list, it’s posted next to my monitor, so that I remember why I am doing all of this.

Respectfully,

Nicholas Chase
http://www.twitter.com/nachase
http://donotreadthisblogunless.blogspot.com

You are full of it, Chris – full of whatever gift it is that brings people in and invites them to return. Happy New Year!

1. Stop writing about Twitter. — I don’t (yet 8=)
2. Stop writing “inside baseball” posts. — I don’t even know what that is!
3. Stop putting yourself down. — Where would comedy be without this?
4. Stop waiting for something to come that will make everything better (if only). — Rather, make that something!
5. Stop thinking you can read minds. — I knew you were thinking that!
6. Stop trying to do it all yourself. — That’s a hard one for me.
7. Stop trying old things in new places, unless they’re really old. — I can only think of 2 things that are old enough — golf and …
8. Stop making excuses for not doing things to move your career ahead. — Done!
9. Stop presuming everything will get better because someone else will fix it. — Fix it yourself (see #6) 8=)
10. Stop writing “me too” posts, or doing “me too” work. Build on the body of work. — Done!
11. Stop beating yourself up when you don’t create something on a given day. — Where’s the fun in that?
12. Stop striving for perfection, and strive for execution instead. — Good advice for me. Ties in with #8 in my life.

Even though this initial list is a more negative list, you could probably just remove the “Stop … and” from some of them and leave the rest.

1. Find a new way to improve someone’s day (and determine if there’s value in it). — Leave out the stuff in parentheses — it is a rhetorical question at best
2. Synthesize new ideas from outside your audience’s circle (and help us make meaning from them). — a BIG challenge but a valuable one
3. Promote the great people out there ( and and keep doing it). — and let them know it too
4. Learn from brilliant people (and share what you learn). — the 2nd part is the hardest of this
5. Work on interesting projects that matter to you (and empower others to participate). — I always struggle with that 2nd part but I’m learning from brilliant people 8=)
6. Discover your passions (and share them openly). — and don’t worry about the nay sayers that will appear.

Chris,

Excellent pieces of advice across the board.

Besides my work in radio and as a freelance writer, I teach voice and acting to young artists (12-17) at a children’s theatre company here in Minneapolis. One thing I always tell them in their respective artistic journeys: Strive for excellence, not perfection. One allows limitless room for growth, the other is the end of a journey before you head downward.

In the kids’ next session, I’m going to share your “12 things to stop doing in 2009″ – giving you full credit, of course – because those, more than anything else, seem to hit young people as much, or more, than (allegedly) seasoned professionals/adults.

Happy New Year!
CGabriel (and @CGprogram)

I really enjoyed this post. I identify with many of your ‘Stop doing’ items. It is a good time for people to take stock in what they have been doing over the past year and make some changes. Great reminder and timely post, consider it bookmarked.

These are good points for both the beginning blogger and veteran to keep in the back of their mind. Depending on where you are in the process, it’s natural to make mistakes, and really, it’s necessary. I won’t say which points struck a chord with me, but in order for me to grow as a blogger, I’ll take your ideas for what they are — hard lessons. Thanks for taking the time to share your insights with the rest of us schmoes (sp?) who are trying to succeed.

Not really a follower, just a simple blogger interested in improving my message. :)

Great Idea stopping doing all this :)
hope you will success! :)

Hi Chris,
Great post (like always)! I also particularly enjoy the value added comment made by @LizzHarmon, more listen, less talk. It’s always an interesting balance of talking/listening when you use social media tools.

Looking forward to more great stuff from you and your newly assembled team in 2009!

Not doing is darn near impossible unless you are actively doing something else. What a great reminder.

Of your things to quit doing…
Stop writing about Twitter – yes, and no. I think what’d I’d say for myself is stop writing about Twitter the tool, and start writing about using social networking to accomplish something besides talking about social networking.
Stop doing it all yourself – let me know when I can hire on. :)

Things I’ll work on to quit doing –
-Leaving ‘great post’ comments.
-Spam my networks with empty posts.
-Focus on only one tool to share and listen on.
-Being passive about exploring my network.
-Waiting for others to work on great ideas.

Things I will work on doing –
-Giving great feedback on posts – be they blog, microblog, video, etc.
-Creating value.
-Getting to know the real people in my network.
-Turning my experiences into profit – for myself, my family, my friends, my network

Things I’d like to be part of in 2009 –
-Support local nonprofits
-Sponsoring a new voice
-Teaching what I know

Cheers to a great year ahead in 2009. May you and I find opportunities to work together.
Todd

Great tips Chris. I especially like #6. That’s probably my biggest weakness. I do all that I can, without delegating too much to others. Too many years of that will leave anyone burnt out. Of course, I enjoy what I do, but I probably should spend the better part of a week doing it. :-)

Great post, Chris! I’m especially attracted to “Find a new way to improve someone’s day.” I think that if we all make small, positive changes in our lives – especially changes that add value to someone else’s life — we’ll create world peace. Okay, so not really, but we’ll be better, happier people. That’s definitely worth something!

I went to my blog to share what I learned from brilliant people and then came back to comment. To borrow evanherik’s term, thank you for encouraging “we-centered-ness” for better life.