Are You Looking Forwards or Backwards in the New Year?

Pause for the briefest of moments—just long enough to re-tally Tiger Woods’ score, maybe, or to reassure yourself of Michael Jackson’s continued non-existence—and don’t be surprised to look up and discover it’s 2010.

A solid-sounding year, certainly. The first semi-comfortable post upon which to hang the collective, persistent astonishment we feel at finding ourselves in this twenty-first century. A year of some substance, at last, that breaks through the watery single digits with the triumph of a decade marker.

The one that preceded it was, to be sure, a helluva string of days. There were scandals, there was war. There was heartbreak and deceit and enough talk of influenza to fill a pig pen. Angry golf clubs and floating airplanes and steroid scandals. Slumdog millionaires and singing Scots and sucky stocks. It was a year when a boy never actually did get caught up in a blast of hot air; but a man named Jon and a woman named Kate did.

The start of a brand new year is a rare opportunity for business owners. It’s a natural start, a period when forgiveness for past sins is granted, and the page upon which new sins might be printed is blank and inviting as snow.

Something seriously psychological kicks in when the great cosmic shedding of last years’ daybook takes place. Folks can’t help but get filled with a sense of optimism and excitement. Anything seems possible when the prospect of an unsullied stretch of days yawns before you, just daring a person to make something of them. Much better, it is, to be contemplating a period of potential success than an already-clocked phase of struggle and despair.

Here at 360 at the start of 2010, it’s pretty much business as usual. We tore around the corner into this new decade with as much confidence and energy as we brought to the 365 days that preceded the changeup, and we have no intention of slowing the engine.

Still, I feel the buzz. The novelty of this impressive-sounding new year, writ large, motivates me in secret. I love the taste of promise it leaves in my mouth: champagne bubbles bursting on the tongue.

Here’s hoping that all of 360’s valued clients and partners feel the same secret murmur of anticipation about this sparkly new collection of calendar pages. Can’t wait to see you on its other side.