It’s Sunday night and I am getting myself in order for the week ahead. The dishwasher is on and some bread is baking. How domesticated, mum would be proud.

The only thing left to do is put the washing machine on, which I’ve now done.

All fascinating I’m sure.

While loading the washing machine I was pleased to see my favourite pair of socks (yes I have a favourite pair of socks, deal with it) and was looking forward to perhaps wearing them later in the week. To my horror I found a hole in the heal of one of them.

Aghast at this discovery I felt incredibly disappointed but remembered my mum telling me to  ‘just chuck them away’ (I’m not sure of the circumstances in which she has previously had to tell me to throw away socks but as you can tell I do get fairly attached to them) so they’re in the bin.

So what did I learn from this? Yes, socks can teach me things.

If something you are attached to and really like fundamentaly breaks beyond repair, get rid of it. Don’t try and fix it. It will be a waste of time and effort, ultimately resulting in having a second rate version of something you previously loved for being perfect.

Sometimes you’re infinitely better off finding yourself a new pair of favourite socks because they’ll probably be even better than the last ones.

If their environment changes colour certain species of Flounder change colour with it. They adapt and blend in with the background so their predators can’t see them, but they are most certainly still there.

The birds and seals that hunt them will most likely eat a Flounder that doesn’t change colour and can’t adapt to its surroundings fast enough. The Flounders that do adapt will be left with fewer competitors, more food and live a longer life.

Flounders are evolved to meet the requirements of their rapidly changeable environment. If we can learn anything from the Flounder it is that we have to adapt and change to tackle the specific environment we find ourselves in, without change the hawks will swoop while our camouflaged competitors look on in glee.

At the start of a New Year it is natural to set one’s self targets to achieve but the way we set a path to our goals is the key to making them a reality.

If one sets an ambiguous target such as wanting to run a mile faster then by the end of the year you may well reach your target but by setting smaller targets the ultimate target will be easier to reach and your time will be even lower.

Target 1: Improve one’s diet so more energy is in one’s meals. The more energy one has the faster one can run.

Target 2: Drop one’s weight by 12 lbs. The less weight one carries the faster one can run.

Target 3: Save up for some better running shoes. The better one’s grip to the road the faster one can run.

Target 4: Run a mile 1 minute faster than one’s current personal best. An exact target gives an exact aim, succeed or fail one has an aim.

We all want to run faster, jump higher and some of us even want to sing louder, but without working out the exact steps we need to take to make that happen we wont reach out goals as quickly as we can.

It is just worth remembering that every plan has to have the details covered, which will provide the stepping stones to success.

Motivation as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary is the reason behind one’s actions or behaviour and secondly as enthusiasm.

In order to fuel that enthusiasm and give users the reasons they need to be motivated enough to return to use digital products again, tell others about them and form a lasting bond with them they must always be put first and treated as a publishers number one priority. Be this though presenting them with fresh new content or providing an easy to use product.

Far too often we forget or are forced to forget about what is best for the user. Without their motivation to engage with and love the media products we deliver them we are nothing.