Put that pen down. Don’t even write a word about losing weight, stop smoking or making more money. Forget the thing about being a better person in 2008 also. Become a better person in 2009.

Here is New Year Resolutions, The Michigan Real Estate Investor Version:

1. Launch a business. How could you possibly know about yourself anyway unless you have owned a business? I say not much. Owning a business where you are 100% responsible for all decisions teaches you enormous things about responsibility, money, how to treat people and relationships.

I would prefer that you do something in real estate investing but heck even operating a lemonade stand is better than doing nothing. Watch Donald Apprentice Season 1 on DVD / Episode 1.

You will know exactly what I mean. That is how Michigan is going to rebound better and greater than ever – entrepreneurs banding together from Detroit to UP, starting businesses.

2. Stop looking for faults in everybody and everything. Election year is upon us and I just cannot understand why everybody is so worried about whether a candidate smoked a joint 20 years or not? I like human beings, with their faults, screwups and everything in the middle.

Angels are not interesting to me. They are boring one dimensional creatures. That is why you don’t see them on planet earth.

There is enough good out there to outweigh the bad any given day. There are lot of really good people involved in real estate investing in Michigan – seek them out and do business with them. Don’t let the few idiots stop you.

3. Incorporate a business. Go to a local bank that offers free online banking with its free business checking accounts. Open a checking account. Setup online banking. Make the login page of your new business checking account your default home page on your browser and look at it 50 times the day.

Don’t like what you don’t see there? As in money you would like to have? Well that is a good reality check… is it not? Do something about it.

4. Make ONE local REO broker fall in love with you. You would know you have succeeded when he or she is calling on Friday and telling you what they intend to do over the weekend. Just don’t it too literally. I don’t want to be responsible for you getting divorced.

5. Talk to 5 homeowners in foreclosure in Michigan in ONE day. Before January 7 hits. Have no ideas what to say? Never been to QuickStart Bootcamp? Amazing! But that is fine, some people like pain with their learning. May be you are one of them.

Do it anyway. I mean don’t you ever wonder what would it be like to lose your short sale virginity? Run an ad on Craig’s List (its free and highly effective) and put your phone number there. Pick up the phone when they call and chat away. One you have done that – rinse and repeat 2 more times before January is over.

6. Don’t have a foreclosure to fix yet? So what… run an ad on Craig’s List for contractors – painters, heating / cooling, electricians, plumbers, drawlers, roofers – when they email you, call them up and ask for 3 references, then call the references. Just in case if you ever thought that good contractors are hard to find.

7. Here is the best New Year Resolution – no matter when you are reading these lines… try to do all of this in the next 7 days.

Here is a bonus resolution - write down something to do where the mere thought of putting that on paper makes you nervous. That is THE ONE which is going to make you the most money in 2008. Figure out how to pull that off before this month is over.

It is a brand New Year.

Anything is possible.