5 New Year’s resolutions for your career in 2019

5 New Year’s resolutions for your career in 2019 ‘Tis the season†¦ to come up with all the ways your life will be better, more healthy, and more profitable next year. In a few weeks, all our best intentions will kick in and we’ll be ready for changes. Some may stick, and some may not, but it’s always good to have a plan. Here are some resolutions you can dedicate yourself to in order to boost your career in 2019.Resolutions to boost your career in the coming yearResolve to be more accountableThe reason so many New Year’s resolutions fail is that although we’re great at coming up with things we need and want to improve, actually getting the work done tends to get lost in the realities of everyday life and routine. If you want to make lasting changes to your professional fortunes in 2019, start by committing to a set of (reasonable) goals. If you lay out your goals and write down the steps you’ll need to take to get there, you’re more likely to stick to them. Setting small goals al ong the way and having the satisfaction of ticking them off makes distant year-long goals seem more attainable and may keep you on the right path.Resolve to take the next step in your career, even if you’re not ready to quitâ€Å"Find a new job† is a pretty common resolution. But if you don’t want to leave your job, job hunting isn’t the only way to move up. Think about what it will take to get a promotion in your current gig. What skills will you need? Start working on those. What does that next step look like? Talk to your boss and let him or her know that you’re looking to take the next step, and discuss your options for taking on more responsibilities, getting more training, or doing whatever you need to do to level up.Resolve to be less stressedWork stress is not only an impediment to your goals, but it can also damage your health and overall happiness. Resolve to find good outlets for work stress. Maybe it’s a new hobby. Maybe itâ€⠄¢s arriving at work half an hour early to have some peaceful time before emails need answering and coworkers start arriving for the day. Whatever would help you feel more calm and centered when things are chaotic, try to build some of it into your routine on a daily basis.Resolve to build your networkYour professional network is one of the best assets you have in your career. It can be a sounding board, or a pipeline to new opportunities. Unfortunately, social media is a double-edged sword here- it makes it easier to add people to your network, but also easier to keep those relationships shallow and stagnant without having to put in much effort.To get the most out of your network, build relationships outside of Facebook likes and LinkedIn notifications. Start with your existing network and think about which relationships you’d like to polish. If you live in the same area as a key contact, have lunch with that person every few months. If you’re distant, drop an email t o get a conversation going.If you want to make your network bigger, set a goal of adding X number of new contacts per month- maybe find friends of friends who work in industries or at companies you’re interested in, or join professional meetups or other communities.Resolve to take more risksOne of the best things you can do, career-wise, is take a chance on new opportunities. This could mean taking on tasks or projects that are new to you, or attempting a new job that’s outside of your comfort zone. That’s not to say you should quit your job tomorrow and go where the job market takes you, but at least be willing to consider making changes outside your routine.The â€Å"new year, new you† novelty and enthusiasm may last about as long as your new January gym routine. However, if you approach them realistically and with commitment, the goals you set for your career now can help set you up for a whole year of successes and learning opportunities.

Alexander Hamilton and the National Economy

Alexander Hamilton and the National Economy Alexander Hamilton made a name for himself during the American Revolution, eventually rising to be the untitled Chief of Staff for George Washington during the war. He served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from New York and was one of the authors of the Federalist Papers with John Jay and James Madison. Upon taking office as president, Washington decided to make Hamilton the first Secretary of the Treasury in 1789. His efforts in this position were hugely important for the fiscal success of the new nation. Following is a look at the major policies that he helped implement before resigning from the position in 1795. Increasing Public Credit After things had settled from the American Revolution and the intervening years under the Articles of Confederation, the new nation was in debt for more than $50 million. Hamilton believed that it was key for the US to establish legitimacy by paying back this debt as soon as possible. In addition, he was able to get the federal government to agree to the assumption of all the states debts, many of which were also sizable. These actions were able to accomplish many things including a stabilized economy and a willingness of foreign countries to invest capital in the US including the purchase of government bonds while increasing the power of the federal government in relation to the states. Paying for the Assumption of Debts The federal government established bonds at Hamiltons behest. However, this was not enough to pay off the huge debts that had accrued during the Revolutionary War, so Hamilton asked Congress to levy an excise tax on liquor. Western and southern congressmen opposed this tax because it affected the livelihood of farmers in their states. Northern and southern interests in Congress compromised agreeing to make the southern city of Washington, D.C. into the nations capital in exchange for levying the excise tax. It is noteworthy that even at this early date in the nations history there was much economic friction between northern and southern states. Creation of the US Mint and National Bank Under the Articles of Confederation, each state had their own mint. However, with the US Constitution, it was obvious that the country needed to have a federal form of money. The US Mint was established with the Coinage Act of 1792 which also regulated the coinage of the United States. Hamilton realized the necessity of having a safe place for the government to store their funds while increasing the ties between the wealthy citizens and the US Government. Therefore, he argued for the creation of the Bank of the United States. However, the US Constitution did not specifically provide for the creation of such an institution. Some argued that it was beyond the scope of what the federal government could do. Hamilton, however, argued that the Elastic Clause of the Constitution gave the Congress the latitude to create such a bank because in his argument it was, in fact, necessary and proper for the creation of a stable federal government. Thomas Jefferson argued against its creation as being unconstitutional despite the Elastic Clause. However, President Washington agreed with Hamilton and the bank was created. Alexander Hamiltons Views on the Federal Government As can be seen, Hamilton viewed it as supremely important that the federal government establish supremacy, especially in the area of the economy. He hoped that the government would encourage the growth of industry in a move away from agriculture so that the nation could be an industrial economy equal to those of Europe. He argued for items such as tariffs on foreign goods along with money to help individuals found new businesses so as to grow the native economy. In the end, his vision came to fruition as America became a key player in the world over the course of time.