With the new year upon us, it is a great time to reflect on last year’s accomplishments and set new goals for the year ahead. As I read various “lessons learned” articles and annual recaps, I often think about what my single most important piece of advice for entrepreneurs would be.

Advice is extremely stage- and journey-specific. Many entrepreneurs consume a wide range of guidance that is simply not applicable to their situation. It may be too big, too small, too early, too late, or designed for an entirely different type of market. It is always important to understand the background of the person giving the advice and who it is really meant for.

That said, my number one piece of advice for entrepreneurs in the new year is simple: write and send a weekly or monthly update to anyone who cares about what you are doing.

This could include employees, advisors, investors, mentors, family members, friends, or fellow entrepreneurs. Who receives it matters far less than the fact that you do it consistently. Ideally, you set aside 30 to 60 minutes each week to write down what you accomplished last week, what you are working on this week, your main goals for the quarter and the year, your top priorities, and any specific asks, such as introductions, advice, or feedback.

This update should be a recurring event on your calendar. Each one can live in its own Google Doc and be sent to a BCC list maintained in a simple Google Sheet. You can certainly use email marketing software or a dedicated app, but I recommend starting with this straightforward, brute-force approach and adding tools later if needed.

Writing this regular update is incredibly valuable for your own clarity. It forces you to organize all the ideas swirling in your head, the highs and lows, and the messages you want to communicate. At the same time, it is one of the best ways to keep your network informed and to make it easy for them to help you.

Entrepreneurship is filled with extreme highs, deep lows, and long stretches of wandering in the desert. A recurring written update brings clarity, both internally and externally, through that entire journey. As a bonus, after years of doing it, you end up with a detailed journal of your entrepreneurial life that can one day become a book or something you pass down to your children and grandchildren.

My recommendation is simple: send a weekly or monthly update email. Include anecdotes, metrics, projects, and the things you need help with. Make it a habit, and make sure your audience receives it at the same time every week or month.