December is upon us, which means that many of us might be struggling to stay motivated. And even though many you might be looking forward to time off around the holidays, it doesn’t mean you should check out of work completely… yet. In fact, December provides a great time to reflect on the past year and plan for the months ahead.

That’s why this week’s roundup includes a hodge-podge of articles to motivate you to up your game in 2018 and beyond. From the marketing “megatrends” you’ll see next year, to a prime example of the impact of storytelling, to inspiration to keep up your running regimen during the winter, check out Our Favorite Headlines below!

The Takeaway: As a trusted marketing partner for many, a big part of our job is to stay abreast of the latest trends in the marketing world – as well as the consumer behavior driving those trends. This article from MarketingProfs is one of the first articles we’ve seen forecasting what marketing will look like in 2018, and it does a great job of explaining why each trend matters.

The biggest takeaway for us? In 2018, your marketing must go beyond, well, marketing. As brands continue to fight for attention and market share, your business can stand out by creating real experiences for your customers – through context, purpose, and inviting them to participate.

The Takeaway: While “storytelling” has been a buzzword in the marketing community for years, the way that brands should apply the concept hasn’t always been clear. Sure, a good story should have characters, conflict, and a beginning, middle, and end. But how can you cram all of those in a 15 second ad or an even-shorter Instagram story?

The key is not just to focus on the story your brand has to tell, but to (appropriately) insert your brand into the stories of the people you want to win over. Ultimately, your product or service must fit into the lives of your customers, right? To tell a story, show those customers how their lives would be different (read: better) with your product in it.

The Takeaway: As the new year approaches, this article provides a great reminder that the most innovative businesses will be the ones that survive – and, more importantly, change the world. But being innovative doesn’t just adjusting with whatever happens; instead, the most successful people and brands will be the ones who are creating the change, even if it comes with the risk of failure.

The Takeaway: We’ve shared articles in past roundups about how exercise can have positive impacts on your mental health. But we didn’t realize just how many ways getting out for a run can benefit you – physically, emotionally, and mentally. If the cold weather has you second-guessing your commitment to running, here are a bunch of reasons to get out there and do it anyway!

What articles did you find particularly interesting or relevant? Let us know below or on Facebook or Twitter!