Goals for 2010

If you want to see how your goals for the new year should be framed to truly up the accountability ante, I strongly recommend this article at Tami Moore’s site. I’m not going to get into quite the detail that Tami does, but I do want to put something “out there” to make me accountable to myself, at least.

I’ve never been one to make “New Year’s Resolutions,” because I tend to break them early and often. And in the past, I’ve had goals and targets at work that were more or less made for me; for my non-working hours, my goal was always to have fun. However, now that I’ve been retired for a year and two-thirds, I believe I should bring some order into my efforts at being productive.

One thing I do want to do is be sure my goals are measurable; I think I’ve done that. So herewith, my goals for 2010.

Personal

Item: Weigh no more than 190 lbs by December 31

On April 18 last year, I weighed 218 lbs, on a 5’8” frame. I lost 8 lbs from April 18 to December 20 (after which I was in Hawai’i with no scale). I was down as much as 12 lbs in the late spring, then suddenly stopped exercising. No excuse for that. With even modest thrice-weekly exercise, this should be an easy achievement. Essentially, this is a commitment to lose 20 pounds this year. This morning, I was at 210 lbs.

Item: Get a physical exam in the first half of the year

Strictly speaking, I don’t need one; however, at my age, there are some things that should be checked regularly. I’ve had a couple “checkups” in the past 5 years, coincident with minor procedures, and everything was working normally. However, I want a bit more reassurance that all is still well. I have a couple minor issues (arthritis, possible repetitive stress injury in my left hand) I want checked.

Item: Read at least one complete book each month

Once upon a time, I was a voracious reader. The past few years (and I sincerely blame World of Warcraft), my reading has dwindled to almost nothing. I don’t consider perusing a hundred or more RSS feeds to be “recreational reading,” and the time for using that lame copout is at an end.

Item: Review and report on progress during the first month of each quarter

Obviously, the person to whom I am most accountable is myself. But I think by making my goals public, and committing to update you on my progress, I am increasing the accountability factor. Besides, as I meet or exceed my goals, I want to brag about it!

Around the Home

Item: Redo my bathroom by September 1

Really wanted to do this last year, and procrastinated until there was no more 2009. With a deadline, this should be a cinch. I want to replace the vanity, counter, sink, faucet, toilet, and medicine chest. The work isn’t that hard, except for hauling stuff up and down stairs.

Item: Build a new computer desk for my office

I have a beautiful oak desk and hutch, with right-hand return for the monitor and keyboard. However, the return, while it has a spacious top, has only a kneehole on the left, next to the desk. For optimal monitor positioning, I really need to be able to sit at the center of that part of the desk. I might be able to modify the current desk (as I think about it); otherwise, I’d enjoy a woodworking project a lot.

Writing and Editing

Item: Continue blogging, with at least two articles every week and five articles every two weeks

Two posts per week seems too few; committing to three every week seems like it may be too much of an increase over my current output. However, now that I have a clear direction I want to take with the blog, this goal should be pretty easy to meet, even when I’m traveling. I originally worded this as “average five articles every two weeks,” but that gave me way too much wiggle room for how I achieve that average. Now, it’s very specific with what the minimum expectation is.

Item: Produce at least 1,500 words per week, measured Friday to Thursday, and reported each Friday

I thought about making this a 1K minimum, as Tami did. But in the short time she’s been monitoring her word count, she’s easily exceeded it each week. If I do nothing more than meet my blogging goal, 1500 wpw should be easily attainable. If I add in my own creative writing (see next item) and then copyediting tasks (counting edited copy at one-half the number of words in the document, as Tami is doing), 1500 should be child’s play.

Item: Complete the first draft of “Darklight” (working title of my short story/novella/novel)

A few close friends are aware of this project, and have encouraged me in this effort. It’s one of those things that is easily put off: too easily, in fact. However, it’s also something I really believe I want to do. As time goes on, I may refine this goal to make it more quantifiable; for now, it’s enough that I’m committing to it this much.

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So, is this list a copout? Too easy to do, if I manage to keep myself alive for the next 12 months? Some might say so; on the other hand, a lot of these things I wanted to do last year, and didn’t. My excuses? None, other than sheer laziness, procrastination, and rationalization (e.g., “I’m still getting used to having free time every minute of every day”).

I’d ask you to wish me luck, but to achieve these goals will take work, not luck. Therefore, I’d like you to wish me success!

Tagged as: accountability, goals