Welcome to the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s #GoalSetGo2018 line-up — where each post this month we explore proven tactics, strategies, and tips to help you revamp and set your personal and professional goals for the new year. Here’s our quick guide on how to shift your mindset for success in 2018.

1. Over Deliver
   If happiness = reality – expectations, making sure that you over deliver to customers and stakeholders is key.  So here’s the catch, there’s a very real tendency in over-achievers to over promise in their performance and commitments, and this can lead to very real burn out. The key here is to be very realistic in what it is that you are capable of — and make sure that you make realistic promises and over deliver slightly on these.
2. Focus On One Thing At A Time
   Don’t let chaos dictate your day-to-day — set out to accomplish something important within a time frame, and don’t be afraid to let others know that you’re busy focusing on it.  The hardest part in this is not letting your attention span falter to checking the news, or your email. But here’s the trick: spend at least 10 minutes focused on completing a task, after the first 10 minutes, it’s infinitely easier to follow through on finishing it without distraction.
3. Delegate Pressure, Then Trust
   As an entrepreneur, it’s important that you’re realistic about your time and abilities and do not collapse under the immense pressure.  You can’t possibly do everything and it’s easy to feel like you must. Surround yourself with capable experts — delegate goals and tasks to them, so that you can focus on the big picture and keep all of the parts moving.
4.  Own Your Lane and Don’t Compare
   Every now and then you might get hit by a paroxysm of insecurity when comparing yourself to others. It’s important to learn from their experiences but also remain realistic as to why you’re uniquely suited to the lane you’ve chosen. Nothing good comes from comparing your success to that of others as everyone’s experience is different, and you most likely don’t know their full story. The only story you can control is your own, so stay focused on mastering your own narrative and lane to success.
5. Drop Negative People
   This might go without saying but is always worth repeating. Acquaintances or friends who drain you,  or those who feel overly negative about the direction of their own lives, can impair your own sense of well being enough to tilt your own sense of balance. As an entrepreneur your personal time is so valuable — make sure you surround yourself with those who enrich your life, who value what you’re doing and admire you. And if they have negative feedback, that it’s constructive and well-meaning.
6. Don’t Give Excuses or Complaints. Find Solutions.
   No one likes excuses. When you’ve messed up in some way, it’s important to acknowledge to others where you’ve messed up, and how it won’t happen again. Having a “forward solution” goes a long way in demonstrating your ability to adapt as a leader.
7. Cut Out Crippling Perfectionism
   Perfectionism is great as long as it remains realistic, productive, and dynamic. Nikola Tesla, Steve Jobs, Martha Stewart, and Friedrich Nietzsche, are examples of perfectionists who’ve achieved success but skated along the fine line between normal perfectionism, and neurotic perfectionism. How can you tell the difference? When perfectionism delays you or your team’s ability to achieve goals, do simple tasks or make basic decisions, this is a sign that you need to reign in on it. Consult the help of a psychological professional to help you keep it in check.
8.  Stop To Do Lists.
   So many successful leaders have evolved outside of the master to-do list to keep up with the ever-changing and growing scope of running a company, maybe you should too. Read our detailed piece on how to properly time block, here. 
   

What’s one thing you’ve tried that’s helped you succeed? Let us know. Share your thoughts with us on the @nasdaqcenter on twitter or facebook.