The transition from one year to the next offers an opportunity to reflect on our accomplishments and setbacks.

2023 was characterized by turbulence and triumphs in the business realm and the influential voices of visionary leaders shaping the landscape of innovation, resilience, and adaptation.

Here we are, once again, into a new year. Many of us plan this time of year, thinking about what 2024 will bring and resolving to become the better selves we always knew we could be, and creating a road map to be more successful.

FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT

Whether you’re an aspiring artist, a seasoned entrepreneur, or simply someone striving to be the best version of yourself, feedback is the secret weapon that unlocks your potential. It allows you to learn from mistakes, refine your skills, and adapt to ever-changing landscapes.

British inventor and business magnate James Dyson, who founded Dyson, says feedback can be a “trigger” to new developments, ideas, and solutions. “I wish people would complain all the time. Because it enables us to get better and come up with ideas that we wouldn’t have come up with otherwise.” 

CONNECT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE

Being receptive to feedback comes hand-in-hand with connecting with your audience and consumers. Building meaningful relationships with your consumers is imperative in today’s hyper-connected world. Your connection with your consumers should be forged through authenticity, empathy, and genuine understanding.

Tracy Chan, Soundcloud’s Senior Vice President of Creator, underscores the importance of connecting with your audience. He says his organization’s primary focus is helping artists and fans connect, considering it the key to fostering success for both the platform and independent artists aiming to launch their careers. “Focus on your audience, interact with them, get to know them by name, respond to their comments, that’s the key to having a long-term career.”

Selena Gomez, the artist and founder of Rare Beauty, echoes a similar sentiment in her interview, emphasizing the profound importance of her fans to her career. “I think in a lot of ways, they’ve held me responsible, and I don’t mean in a bad way; I mean in a sweet way.”

MANAGING YOUR TIME

In today’s busy world, people use various strategies to complete daily tasks. From time management tactics to productivity hacks, the quest to efficiently handle responsibilities has spawned various approaches. 

American entrepreneur, author, and founder of Bulletproof 360 Inc. and Bulletproof Nutrition Inc., Dave Asprey, shares his insights, including his stance against to-do lists.

“Throw away your to-do list. It is the worst possible thing for your psychology. It is a source of constant stress. And I used to manage these in my career and at home.”

Asprey suggests that achieving happiness or accomplishment is nearly impossible when completing tasks on a to-do list, as there’s always another task waiting. Instead, he presents an alternative approach.

“What I have done religiously while building a hundred-million-dollar company from scratch is I never had a to-do list; what I had was a calendar, I put the time on the calendar, and if it’s not on the calendar, that means I don’t have time to do it, and it’s not going on a freaking list!” 

BALANCE IS KEY

While hustle culture has taken the forefront in young people’s lives as they strive to better themselves and ensure a successful future, many forget that taking breaks and making time to enjoy life is just as important.

Serial entrepreneur and Kickstarter CEO Everett Taylor emphasizes the importance of self-care and finding a balance. He expresses that, at times, it’s crucial to make the most of what’s available to you.

“I do as much as I possibly can while keeping myself sane and my mental health together; I remember I was extending myself too much to the point where I was like, ‘Wait, I’m not getting my work done, I’m not taking enough time for myself.”

IT TAKES PATIENCE

In the age of instant gratification, chasing online passions can feel like a sprint against the algorithm. But amidst the frenzy, a crucial ingredient often gets overlooked: patience.

Marques Keith Brownlee, an American YouTuber best known for his technology-focused videos and podcast Waveform, highlights the importance of having patience and treating your passion like a hobby.

“The best advice I can give to someone just starting out is to treat it like any other hobby or sport, where you’d be comfortable doing it endlessly and never making a dime off of it. And if you’re comfortable with that, you’d be willing to pour a ton of time into it, a ton of effort into it. And maybe it’s a job someday, maybe not, but as long as you’re having fun with the craft itself, you’re on the right path.”