Hope you enjoyed yourself over the break and are all renewed and revigorated to zoom ahead.

Our family had a relaxing time at home. We didn't go away as my daughter relocated to London just after Christmas, so we were around to see her off. Guess where we'll be going on our next holiday?

So it's back to business...

Now's the time to clear out the clutter, write out your goals for the year, plan what you need to do and then take action.

All very simple to do isn't it? Yet is it easy to implement? Well the truth is, it isn't. You often have great intentions but somehow you can get distracted, overwhelmed with the day-to-day busyness and lose focus on what you really want. And another very important factor to consider is getting the right support to keep you accountable and on track so you don't lose your way.

At the gym this week one of the regular members came over and said to me "You're looking really good, what's your secret?". It's great when you get compliments like that isn't it? It certainly made me feel that my continuing efforts in this area pay off.

"Do you really want to hear the truth?", I said. "It's the food. You have to watch what you eat, plan your eating, have more protein and less carbohydrate, very minimal fat and avoid junk food."

Notice I said 'avoid junk food'. It doesn't mean I don't have chocolate or cake, etc. but I limit my intake. I also exercise each day... weight training 3 times a week and run 3 times a week but I do the least I have to in the shortest period of time. Believe me if all I had to do was walk 30 minutes a day to keep in shape, I would. Anyhow, I'm not a fanatic compared to some people I know... Phil is one of those fanatics.

Phil exercises 6 - 7 days a week but he's getting fatter. He trains so hard, it's ridiculous. He can't get the weight off because of his poor eating habits and his emotional state. He didn't tell me that, but it was obvious to me. Phil is 59.

What he did tell me was...

1. He has junk food stored at home (My interpretation: non-supportive environment - setting himself up to fail)
2. Drinks too much alcohol (My interpretation: uses this to deaden some of the pain he experiences in his life)
3. Goes to the supermarket some nights and buys chocolate ( My interpretation: he's bored and also uses this as an emotional fix)

As he had approached me to find out what I had been doing, I couldn't help myself but offer him some solutions:

• Get rid of the junk food and get his family involved to help support his goal.
• Go to Weightwatchers and get educated about food. It's ongoing education and a very supportive environment... and it works!
• See a counsellor to deal with his relationship problems.

You see Phil thought he could exercise his problems away. Sure exercise helps but it was only a part of the solution. He's been doing this for a long time and getting nowhere. ( How often in life have you continued doing the same thing without getting the outcome you desired?)

Phil needed to identify what the real problems were or should I say face up to the truth and then find the right solutions.

In business you can often think that with better marketing and more capable staff your business and your life will improve. However if you're disorganised and the internal business systems are the same (which is very common), then your ability to cope with additional work and find and retain good people will diminish greatly.

Through my work with small business, I find the personal strengths and weaknesses of the boss directly impact the business... for better or worse.

One of my clients had the makings of a highly lucrative business. She'd been in business 10 years and had a team of 7 people working for her. Unfortunately she kept experiencing a high turnover in staff which greatly limited her ability to boost her profits. It also caused a lack of continuity and uncertainty for her clients. Jan had thrown money at all sort of programs and seminars looking for her 'magic pill' to keep staff. She had used all forms of consultants but it didn't seem to make any difference.

Her personal problems held her back and it wasn't until she finally realised this area of her life was affecting her business, and she sought appropriate help in that area, did her business begin to change.

Jan had been trying to solve the wrong issue. In fact she went out of her way to avoid facing up to what was really getting in the way of her keeping a strong team of people. She always lay the blame on everyone else.

So, as you set your goals for the new year, make sure you solve the right problem with the right solution. Ensure you get the right help. And remember you are your best investment.. .for things to change, you must change.

To help you on your way, I have a special gift for you... "Expect More From 2008", 53 Strategies for Success from leading Experts in Personal and Professional Development.

Lorraine Pirihi is the founder of productivityqueen.com and creator of “The Productivity and Profit System” the complete one-on-one training program for solopreneurs and small businesses.

Lorraine is also the celebrated author of “The Productivity and Profit Home Study System” which helps you to easily organize your time, your marketing, your people and your systems so you are much more profitable and have time to enjoy life. This is available at www.productivityqueen.com Online Store.

Lorraine is a productivity expert, leading business coach, author and speaker. She’s known for her practical approach, combining a unique blend of innovative, straight-shooter, no-fluff strategies that really work. Being in her own business for over a decade she is committed to helping small business owners and entrepreneurs work less, earn more and have a life!

She is a well known and respected expert on showing small business owners how to free up their time, organise their systems and their marketing so they make more money and enjoy more time off.