2017年，创业者应在这10件事上下决心

企业家内部网络是一个在线社区，美国初创公司中最具思想和影响力的人士会在这里及时解答关于企业家精神和职业生涯的问题。今天的问题是：想要让初创公司取得成功，每个企业家都必须知道什么？回答者是Distil Networks的共同创始人和首席执行官拉米·埃塞德。

全球各地有许多人都会设立新年决心，而这种一年一度提高自我的传统可能尤其适合积极进取的企业。以下是我设立的10个决心，供各位创业者在辞旧迎新之际参考。

做好规划

在领导初创公司时，你总是得关注当下，从而难以思考和规划长期战略。这会导致你总是为一件件事情奔走——进行产品更新、结束大甩卖、招聘新员工，或是排除一家正在成长的年轻公司可能爆发的种种问题。不过，后退一步着眼大局是必要的。

关注开支

还记得吗，许多权威人士曾在2016年初预测科技股票将要崩盘。谢天谢地，这没有发生。不过资本市场仍然充满不确定性。在步入2017年之际，初创公司密切关注自己的财务状况，是一个明智的选择。不要因为你有钱就随意乱花。（无论经济形势如何，这样都是聪明的做法。）

改善时间管理

在2017年摒除杂务。列出你最重要的事情和任务，只在上面投入时间。删除日程上的所有会议，只留下那些真正有价值的。几个月前度蜜月时，我这么做了，然后发现有超过三分之一的会议其实我没必要参加。从那以后，清理日程就让我更容易专注于那些更重要的事情。

彻底“断网”一两次

我的蜜月也让我有机会几年来第一次“断网”。删掉所有的手机提醒和其他数字应用，这个过程出人意料的复杂。不过一旦完成，我就意识到它们究竟让我的生活变得多么喧闹，多么让我分心。重返工作后，我感觉精力充沛，对承担世间的任务做好了前所未有的准备。我仔细选择了重新下载的应用，从而延长了这种感觉。

断网也能让你身边的人站出来控制局势。作为领导者，我们往往无意中会给人们一个支撑，让他们有理由不站出来，因为他们害怕触怒我们。断网能给他们空间和自由来展现自己的才华。

只与最优秀的人共事

听上去这是显而易见的，不过招聘和挽留优秀人才的重要性绝不应当被低估，每个企业家的决心清单中都该有这一项。记住：一个一流员工对企业的贡献比三个普通人更大。

关心自己

女演员兼导演妮娅·瓦达拉斯曾说：“我的新年决心清单的第一条，往往是减肥10磅至3,000磅。”许多人都希望在新年变得更加健康。企业家管理压力、保持头脑清醒的需求尤其迫切，因此这方面绝不应该例外。

做些善举

一名成功的企业家如果认为自己独自完成了这一成就，那可能是在妄想或是太过自恋。没有人能在缺少家庭、朋友或其他商界人士和企业家的情感和经济支持下成功建立公司。所以，展现出同样的慷慨，帮助其他新人企业家吧。而且不要就此打住。对社区里的不幸者伸出援手。也不要只是开支票，而要付出你的时间。尽管创立和发展公司令人筋疲力尽，但绝不能为此就不回馈他人。

挽留客户

这一点也属于常见的决心，要反复深入了解你的客户，从而提供更好的产品。确保公司所做的一切事情都在往这个方向努力。质疑一切脱离这个目标的事情。

笑得更多

创立和发展公司是一项严肃的工作。不过不要把它和你自己搞得过于严肃，从而失去开怀大笑的能力。据说，笑容对身体有许多好处，既可以降低应激激素，也能增强细胞免疫力，提高抵抗感染的抗体活力。它还能让你和周围的人心情更加愉悦。所以要保持你的幽默感。

少说术语

科技界沉迷于“杠杆”“支点”“颠覆”“独角兽”“忍者”“growth-hacking”等术语。大家已经受够了（尽管很少人公开承认），所以是时候结束这种疯狂了。这是我的观点：像正常人一样说话。你可以成为一个更有感染力的沟通者，不要再像其他人一样了。如果你对此抱有疑问，可以问自己一个问题：会有人在你做完演示之后对你说：“这很棒，不过你能在里面多加点行业术语吗？”

这些决心可以让你过一个快乐健康、少说术语的2017年！（财富中文网）

作者：Rami Essaid

译者：严匡正

The Entrepreneur Insiders network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in America’s startup scene contribute answers to timely questions about entrepreneurship and careers. Today’s answer to the question “What must every entrepreneur know about startup success?” is written by Rami Essaid, co-founder and CEO of Distil Networks.

While many people around the world make New Year’s resolutions, the annual self-improvement tradition may be especially fitting for enterprising business types. Here are 10 resolutions I’m making and that other entrepreneurs might consider as they wipe the slate clean on 2016 and look ahead to 2017:

Plan better

When you lead a startup, you’re constantly on the now to the detriment of thinking about and cultivating long-range strategy. That will end up with you running from one thing to the next — wrapping up a product update, closing a big sale, hiring new employees, or putting out the many fires that can erupt in a young, growing business. But it’s essential to take a step back and address the big picture.

Watch your spending

Remember early 2016, when many pundits were predicting a tech market crash? It didn’t happen, thankfully. But the capital markets remain uncertain, and startups are wise going into 2017 to maintain a close eye on the financials. Don’t just spend money because you can. (That’s smart regardless of economic conditions.)

Manage your time better

Make 2017 the year you get out of the weeds. Make a list of your most important priorities and tasks and spend time only on those. Wipe every meeting off of your calendar and only put back the ones that are really worth it. I did this when I went on my honeymoon a few months ago, and found that over a third of my meetings were ones I didn’t need to be a part of. Unclogging my calendar has since made it much easier for me to prioritize.

Completely disconnect once or twice during the year

My honeymoon also gave me an opportunity to disconnect for the first time in years. Removing all of my phone alerts and other digital nuisances was a surprisingly involved process. But once I did, I realized how noisy they had made my life and affected my focus. Upon returning, I felt profoundly refreshed and more ready than ever to take on the world. I’ve prolonged the feeling by choosing carefully what to re-engage with.

Disconnecting also enables the people around you to step up and take control. As leaders, we often inadvertently give people a crutch and a reason not to step up because they’re afraid to step on our toes. By disconnecting, we give them the room and freedom to come into their own light.

Work with only the best

It sounds obvious, but the importance of hiring and keeping great people can never be underestimated and should be a perennial on every entrepreneur’s list of resolutions. Remember: One stellar contributor is worth more to an organization than three average ones.

Take care of yourself

Actress and director Nia Vardalos said: “My New Year’s resolution list usually starts with the desire to lose between 10 and 3,000 pounds.” Many folks commit to better fitness in the New Year. Entrepreneurs — who have an especially acute need to manage stress and keep their minds sharp — should be no exception.

Perform charitable acts

If you’re an accomplished entrepreneur and you think you got there alone, you’re delusional, narcissistic, or both. No one who successfully builds a company does so without emotional and financial support from an ecosystem of family, friends, and other business people and entrepreneurs. So show the same generosity of spirit that you received and help other new-to-the-game entrepreneurs. Don’t stop there, though. Help the unfortunate in your community. And don’t just write checks — give your time. While starting and growing a company is draining, it should never stop you from giving back.

Know your customers

It’s another evergreen resolution, but recommit to understanding your customers as deeply as you can so you can provide a better product. Make sure absolutely everything in the company is geared toward that end. Question anything that isn’t.

Laugh more

Creating and growing businesses is no-nonsense work. But don’t take it and yourself so seriously that you lose the ability to have a good laugh. Laughter is said to produce a range of health benefits, from lower stress hormones to increased immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. It also makes you and those around you happier. So keep your sense of humor.

Minimize the gibberish

The tech industry is addicted to buzzwords like “leverage,” “pivot,” “disrupt,” “unicorn,” “ninjas,” and “growth-hacking.” Everyone is sick of them (though few admit it publicly) and it’s time to stop the madness. Here’s a thought: Speak like a normal person. You may end up being a more impactful communicator and stop sounding like everyone else. If you have doubts, ask yourself this question: Has anyone ever walked up to you after, say, a presentation and said, “That was pretty good, but couldn’t you have gunked it up with more jargon?”

Here’s to a happy, buzzword-limited, and healthy New Year!