The holidays are officially over, 2012 is here, and everyone is back to work. Its time to start making good on those New Year's resolutions. But how long will people stick to their promises to make themselves betterwhether through losing weight, quitting smoking or saving money? It depends on the level of accountability. One way to make yourself accountable is to make your resolution public.

You probably have resolutions for your self-storage operation, too, and one way to ensure you follow through with them is to pledge them to your peers on Self-Storage Talk, the largest online community in the industry. A discussion thread already exists where people are sharing their resolutions, both personal and professional: "New Year's Resolutions." (You can also share your business resolution by voting in the current InsideSelfStorage.com poll.) For example, MisterJim444 resolves to begin working on the novel he's always wanted to write.

On the business side, self-storage operators can vow to make numerous improvements in the new year, no matter how full your facilities are or how tremendous your bottom line is. Raising rents is a salient example. Others are spending more resources on marketing, coming up with new ideas to connect with customers, investing in new technology, or simply working harder and warding off complacency. You might also consider seeking out more education and training, in which case you should check out the many great seminars and workshops at the Inside Self-Storage World Expo, March 14-16, at the Paris Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas.

Self-storage is as competitive as it's ever been, and business leaders who aren't constantly trying to get better may lose their edge. That's why committing to a new year's goal is much more than satisfying an empty, meaningless tradition. A well-crafted, reasonable resolution can actually pay off. More important, you'll be more likely to stick to your goal if others periodically check in on your progress, and on SST the official forum of ISS your peers will help keep you motivated.

Not a part of the SST community yet? Join the fun by becoming a member. Visit www.selfstoragetalk.com and click "register." Registration is free and takes only a few minutes.