7 changes you can make to have a better 2017

The New Year is here, and everyone is making promises. Some will be kept … others … well, let’s not go there. But forget all the resolutions, you need some decisions. Ideas you are ready – and willing – to put into action. Sometimes this is as simple as re-prioritizing your time and resources.



Sometimes, it’s about a top-down, bottom-up rethinking of everything. Most of the time, it’s somewhere in between.

But the big “secret” is, most people don’t do it. They say they “should” and they “intend to” … but they never actually make the changes they say are necessary to achieve success. Because “change” … and people believe change is hard. It’s not. Change is simple, once you set your mind to it. And, if you’re ready, here are seven changes you can make to build a better 2017.

Surround yourself with doers and “can” people. It’s one thing to have people on your team who can diagnose problems. But you want “solvers” who are looking for ways to make things work. There will always be problems. You don’t need people constantly complaining about them. That just compounds the challenges. Bring people into your life who are about getting things done.

Stop worrying about your “weak” points and focus on making your “good” parts even better. Find people strong in the areas you are weak and invest time building all of you up together.
Be a change agent, not a change requester. If you see something that needs to be better, take the opportunity to be the instigator, not just the agitator.

When you need assistance, be vocal and specific. Vague requests and unspoken expectations rarely initiate competent solutions. Will that mean more work for you? Probably. But, do you want to get it done right or not?

Build “no” into your expectations. When a company or department becomes an idea generator, you can expect to get a lot more “no” responses than “yes” responses. If you aren’t succeeding, chances are, you aren’t generating enough “no’s.”

Become a better communicator. Doesn’t matter if you think you are awesome at taking your ideas and giving them to others. You can do better. Chances are, your biggest area of improvement could be in listening. Become a better listener and prepare to reap countless rewards.

Cultivate a deeper, wider network. Improve your current relationships and invest in creating new ones. This will take resources, but few investments add more value.

When considering all of these ideas, step one is to create an action plan for implementation. Having all the best advice in the world won’t translate unless you are willing to make the necessary changes to make it happen.

Elie Hirschfeld is a real estate developer in NYC.