What are your action steps to a better 2009?

I see a lot of Motivational “Fluff” that comes out every New Years. Motivation without planned, researched action is just “Fluff”.
What are your planned and researched action steps to a better 2009?
Here a few modest tips to become more effective within this type of market:

1. When you plan your detailed action steps, include both positive contingencies and negative contingencies for yourself and/or business models

2. See the Macro picture. However you should focus on the Micro picture. Louis Pasteur said, “Fortune favors the prepared mind”. The great Yogi Berra said it best “You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going, because you might not get there”

3. Be prepared to aggressively seize opportunity. In this market, positive opportunities are far out numbered by the negative opportunities? Try not to let the positive opportunities pass you by.

4. Do not depend on the Government or the Banking Industry to have a precise plan. The Government is usually the last to come to the party in the boom-bust learning curve. They know even less than the Banking industry about the market. Look at the Banking Industry (there are many quality bankers, please do not take this as a slam on all bankers). Short Sales make perfect sense, until you realize you are dealing with the cooking of a balance sheet and not a sound business model.

5. Do not waste your time fighting Forecasters, The Unhappy, Journalists and Economists. Most are entertainers at best. Again, to quote Yogi Berra “There are some people who, if they don't already know, you can't tell 'em.” A friend who mentored me in the mortgage business always said. “Focus on what you can close.” Those are wise words. You are either part of the solution or the problem; spend your time with the solutions of the world.