There are a lot of milestones marking this week in 2009. For Christians it’s Holy Week, and Easter is just days away. For those of the Jewish faith, Passover begins at sundown on Wednesday (April 8). And of course, spring is here, and the flowers and trees are in bloom, perhaps prettier than ever. In so many ways, right now—this very week—is a time of new beginnings and rebirth. On Good Friday, we will be 100 days into this year. So I think this week also is the perfect time for reflecting on the progress you have (or haven’t) made so far this year.

Think of this week as the “second January 1” of the year. See it as a time to either get back to what you said was important at the first of the year or to commit, for the first time, to what you want to accomplish in this year. Concentrate on what you want to do more of this year, what you want to do less of and what you want to stop doing altogether.

It’s kind of like pushing a “restart button” on life. If only life, like your computer, had a restart button to push when things aren’t working properly!

A restart button would come in pretty handy for most of us right now during these turbulent times. I might even settle for the “Easy Button” I see on the television commercials for Staples. Then again, an “Easy Button,” with an easy way out, isn’t exactly what I’m looking for either. Think about it. When things get tough, most of us get tougher. We rise to the occasion, even when circumstances are bleak—perhaps especially when things are bleakest. Keep in mind that sooner or later the current economic mess will get better. Those of you who accept and meet the challenges it presents will come out of this stronger, more competitive and better able to succeed.

Besides, you can create your own “situational restart” with a new, positive attitude and a smarter approach to work and life. It’s not exactly like pushing a button and—presto!—things are instantly better, but it is effective.

So over the next few weeks, we’re going to be giving you tips and suggestions on how to restart your efforts at success. We’ll also give you ideas about deleting those things that might be holding you back or leading you down a path to underachievement or perhaps even failure.


We are 100 days into this year. (Amazingly, we’re also 265 days away from a new decade!) It’s time to take stock. There is no restart button on life, but we can choose to restart (and renew and redouble) our efforts at any time in order to get back on track, and get back in the game. So take some time this week to reflect on where you are in this year’s life plan—at work and outside the office. You have enough time left in this year to take advantage of a restart and fully accomplish your goals. But do it now. Do it today. Our ideas and tips over the next several weeks will show you how to do what you do better.