As 2009 draws to a close many of us are reflecting on the year past and analysing what worked, what didn't and what we have learnt and can take into the new year.

Personally it was a year of consolidation for us with a huge focus on looking after the bottom line cashflow - having made a deliberate lifestyle change at the end of 2008 it was time to pay for it!

As I have previously shared, actively investing in property was therefore never part of our plans for 2009 and so it transpired. We did look at a few deals, particularly potential HMO's for the obvious cashflow they can bring, but decided the timing was not right for us. It wasn't just the financial side of things that did not feel right, but the time investment too. It was simply a matter of looking at everything on our plates and prioritising. We did however carry out some planned and unplanned repairs on our portfolio using stored cashflow, and reviewed the rents too, achieving modest increases on some.

In other areas of our lives there were big decisions made and consequently huge changes to adjust to. As you will know from my summer newsletter, after 3.5 years of working for myself from home I made the decision to return temporarily to corporate life with a full time contract job. I know from the incredible reaction to my summer newsletter that I have not been alone in going back to corporate life and many of you reading this will know what an adjustment it is to no longer be the boss in control of your own day. These last 6 months of working 9-5.30 for someone else have been testing, especially as I never thought I would work for anyone else again. The 2 biggest adjustments have been the huge reduction in the time I spend with my kids and the difficulty of continuing to run my own businesses whilst working full time. However, the pay off has been not having to worry about whether our cashflow would pay the bills each month - there is a lot to be said for a regular reliable salary when things are tight! And its not for ever.

If I had to name my single biggest PERSONAL achievement of 2009 it would simply be BALANCE. Might sound daft but being out at work from 7.30 am to 7pm 5 days a week and still maintaining 4 businesses and a family life without going do-lally or working myself into the ground has been no mean feat. I owe this to the support of my wife Steph, my PA Zoe, my good friends and confidantes (you know who you are), my coach, my mentors and the various books, audios and trainings I build into my schedule that keep 'my saw sharpened' as the great Stephen Covey would say.

If I had to name my single biggest BUSINESS achievement of 2009 it would undoubtedly be the huge growth of my residual income business. A business I once scoffed at and said wasn't for me. A business I joined with some sceptism and said I didn't have time for, has grown an incredible 215% in 2009 with just a little consistent part time effort around my other commitments. You won't be surprised to learn that with a business booming like that it will be getting a lot more of my focus in 2010 - in fact it will be my priority for next year as I love doing something once and getting paid for it over and over again. I also love helping other people build thier businesses. I know through this simple business I am well on my way to achieving the time and financial freedom that most people are searching for. A huge thank you to the person that introduced me to a business that has already brought me a growing income, recognition, bonuses, share options, and some fantastic friends.

However, if I had to name the MOST IMPORTANT achievement in my life of 2009 it would undoubtedly be the growth and development of my 2 children. As any decent parent does, everything you do centres around them. The changes in where we live and where they go to school now has resulted in a huge positive shift for both of them at an important time of thier young lives. I am also mighty proud to share that they have both begun taking an interest in business and 'what Daddy does' over the last year - particularly our daughter who is 11 in a few weeks. She gets involved and has started helping in little ways and asking lots of questions. She even asked to do a business role play with me a couple of weeks back so that she could 'give me her card' at the end LOL - priceless!

Juggling everything is difficult for us all at times. A secret coping mechanism for me has been that without me realising it my car has become a mobile office with my laptop and dongle, blackberry and ipod all so instrumental to making good use of the nooks and crannies of my day. Particularly my Blackberry - I can discreetly check and respond to urgent emails and view documents wherever I am - even at my day job where access to external emails is, like many places, banned.

          Has it been a difficult year - Definitely!
          Has it been a good year - Definitely!

So what have I learnt to Take into 2010?
- That I am capable of so much more than I give myself credit for

- That it serves no purpose beating myself up for what I haven't done and its more important to celebrate what I have acheived.

- That balance in all things is key & whilst it is challenging to achieve, it is possible
- That it was stupid to not focus more on a business that has grown 215%. Just think what that growth would have been if I HAD focused on it!!!

- The huge importance of your support network to share the lows and highs and help to keep you moving towards your goals

I personally believe that a mistake or failure is just a lesson that I needed to learn in order to move forward with my successes. Whatever 2009 threw at you, I hope that you too have taken the time to review your successes and how you achieved them, as well as taking the lessons that 2009 put you through.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

JR

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