Paxton Mittleman

Well, we’ve made it thirteen days into 2015, and I have to say I’ve set some pretty high expectations for myself.

2015 is the year I want to establish my unique voice in the social media marketing industry, landing a one-of-a-kind internship. It’s the first year I’m making it my mission to run a half marathon in the fall. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s the year I launched my professional blog with a goal to actually blog on a regular basis (Starting with this post!).

As I made personal predictions for what would happen in 2015, I watched my news feeds blow up with professional’s predictions for the future of integrated marketing. There were so many prediction lists from so many different people that I didn’t even know where to begin! Instead, I chose not to read any of them. How could I possibly validate one professional’s guess on which trends would take off or what tools were most useful over another’s?

When discussing these lists with Deluxe Corp.’s director of Earned Media Adam Dince, he gave me his own predictions on the future of the digital sphere. Adam’s 2015 marketing prediction is…well, that he had none. Rather than trying to envision the future of an ever-changing social landscape, Adam admirably accepts he can’t control what unfolds this year since, such as in life, there are no guarantees. Adam chooses instead to focus on what he can control- his diligent work ethic and constant determination to succeed.

So what are my predictions for 2015? I’m going to have to join forces with Adam- I’m not sure what platforms will emerge, what videos will go viral, or who will establish themselves as a master of the industry. I don’t have a crystal ball, and that’s okay; once I accept that it’s impossible to control the future, I know I’ll embrace the uncertainty that lies ahead.

As I continuously set goals for this coming year, I’m going to keep the unpredictability factor of life in mind. Sure, I can say I want to run a half marathon in the fall, but what if I give up halfway through my training? What if I decide after two weeks that this blog and my major is a waste of time?

I cannot control whether or not I get the internship of my dreams. I cannot control whether or not I cross the finish line after 13.1 miles of pounding the pavement. But in social media and in life, I can always aim to improve, work hard, and persevere in the face of whatever challenges are thrown my way.

We’ve made it into thirteen days, and we have 352 more to see what happens and make the most of it. 2015, I’m excited to find out what you have in store!