The most popular resolutions are to lose weight, stop smoking, eat better, get a better job, start my own business, spend more time with my spouse/kids, you can fill in blank with your resolution.

One of main reasons resolutions aren't kept is that we make too many of them at once.

So, first step in keeping resolutions is to do them one at a time. Especially for weight and smoking cessation, it is important to take little steps before you get to main goal. For example, for those of you trying to quit smoking, studies show that long term smokers (10 plus years) have a hard time quitting cold turkey. So, what I did, was to keep a book and I wrote down every time I had a cigarette. Then each day I tried to cut one out. Did I slip sometimes, yes, but eventually I got down to 5-6 a day, and then quit from there. The patches work once you get down to 5-6 a day. Tip: Cut them in half or quarters and they last longer.

The same principles work for diet changes. Eat foods you like but cut down on portions and eventually put some healthier foods in your diet. The big thing in weight loss is to moderate what you eat. If you eat dessert every night, try cutting out one night a week for a month, then two, and so on. Eventually cut it down to a couple of times a week or eat low fat desserts. Walking is a great exercise. Try it before you go to work, or during lunch, or after dinner.

As for spending more time with family. Try to make Sunday a family day. Have a special family dinner night, movie night, game night. Pick things that everyone likes or take turns coming up with themes. You will all have to be flexible. Ladies, your husbands don't like going shopping, any more than you like their sport watching. Everybody will have to compromise.

While people have all kinds of excuses for weight, smoking, diet, and spending time resolutions, they even have more when it comes to making a change in their profession.

When we talk to folks about starting their own business they have all kinds of excuses why it won't work for them - they don't have time, it's too much work, it doesn't work, they don't have money, they don't think it will work for them.

Well, with all of those excuses, of course, it isn't going to work. If you go into something not believing you will be able to succeed, guess what? You won't. Let's break down those excuses...

Excuse 1

They don't have time.

We know that many of you are working and want to start part-time. Well best way to do this is to take a calendar and to put in times you will work your lease purchasing business, or whatever business you want to get started.

Your initial planning is key. The number of hours you can spend, getting your identity package done, setting up your office, making contacts, making your calls, and setting your goals (both short term and long term). In effect, getting your ducks in order, being sure all your P&Q's are taken care of, and then just getting started.