When he was 12, my younger brother Derek made a New Year resolution to set off a firecracker every day for a year. That lasted until mid February when mom finally put her foot down. Then there was the year my Dad resolved to get me, and my propensity for speeding tickets, off of his car insurance and onto my own. Neither of these fit my definition of a good New Year Resolution. In my mind, a good resolution is a commitment to create positive change either personally or for a group. Unlike setting off fireworks, working towards a good goal won’t always be fun or easy. However, in the end it will be worth it.

Like all good goals our new year resolutions should be SMART goals – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.  This keeps us from making resolutions like “I will work out more in 2010” and meeting them because going to the gym twice in January 2010 is more time than the once you went in 2009. This year, while making our SMART personal New Years resolutions, I am encouraging us to include goal that will benefit the beef industry. Here are some suggestions to help get us started:

1. Participate in the MBA program or receive some other media training.

2. Write a certain number of pro-beef letters to the editor in 2010.

3. Set aside a certain amount of time each week you will spend advocating for agriculture online. This time can be used to comment on news articles and blog posts with a pro-beef perspective or even maintaining our own blog or Web site.

4. Hand out a couple extra business cards a week in casual conversation. Once people see you are involved in agriculture you will have an easy opportunity to represent our industry well and clear up and questions that person may have about beef production. 

5. A good way to combine these last few recommendations is a resolution to make a certain number of positive impressions for the industry a week. Say the number you pick is three. Take three Post-it notes and place them in a prominent place, like on your desk or refrigerator at home. Then, take down a Post-it each time you make a positive impression for agriculture. Replace the notes and start over at the beginning of each new week.

This last suggestion is the route I’m going to take with my industry-related new year resolution. I’ll check in throughout the year and let you know how it is going.

Happy New Year!

Chelsea