The countdown to New Years is over. Have you blasted off yet?

For most people, this is the hardest part - getting started. This is particularly true with New Year's resolutions. For many people, New Year's Day is a day for recuperation and relaxation as they spend the first day of their New Year nursing a hangover or watching the football games. And while surely there is nothing wrong with a little rest and relaxation, slacking off on the first day of the New Year makes it that much easier to slack off on the second day and the third and so on.

This is particularly true because the hardest part of starting on any new goal is just that - starting. In fact, getting off the launching pad takes more effort than the rest of the trip. For instance, when the Space Shuttle takes off, it expends more fuel in the first few miles of flight than it expends over the rest of its journey. As it tries to break the hold of gravity, the Space Shuttle fires its thrusters at full blast. In fact, during its first few seconds of flight, it seems to be just inching forward. However, before long, the craft is hurtling through the sky at tremendous speeds. At this point, it releases two large fuel tanks because at that point, they are no longer necessary. The hard part of the trip is over.

Your journey through 2004 will be the same way. You will expend the greatest effort in breaking bad habits during the first few days of 2004. For instance, if you resolved to quit smoking this year, the hardest day will be your first day without a cigarette. The same is true if you resolved to finally take off that extra 10, 25 or 100 pounds. Denying yourself that first slice of cheesecake will be harder than turning down the other hundred slices you will be offered this year. Likewise, stepping foot into the gym for the first time will be harder than all of the other times combined.

This same principle applies to all goals. For instance, any salesperson will tell you that the hardest sale to make to a new client is the first sale. To make that first sale, a salesperson may have to call, visit, cajole or downright beg the client for her business. However, the second sale is always much easier. And the 100th sale seems to just happen automatically. Therefore, if you've set a goal to double or triple your sales this year (always a good goal to set), your most crucial month will be January. If you burn your thrusters at full strength during January, you will be cruising in September. However, if you choose to cruise through this month, you may find yourself grounded in mediocre results for another year.

Therefore, the day to get started on resolutions is TODAY. Now is the time to turn those New Year's resolutions into New Year's realizations. 3 - 2 - 1 - blast off!