Before I start, I’m willing to admit a modicum of hypocrisy. That being said, there is enough semantic distance between goal setting and resolution making to avoid my becoming an actual hypocrite with this blog. I don’t believe in casually dropped resolutions, but I do believe in the idea of setting goals. The latter is a developed process based on reflecting backwards and projecting forward with the idea of becoming a better person. I didn’t do enough goal setting last year, and as a result I feel like the year was wasted in some ways. My personal growth hit roadblocks and then took leaps (both forwards and backwards). In the end I was left roughly in the same place I was 366 days prior.
Listening to the extended (8 minute) mix of Timberlake’s Mirrors I find myself thinking about what I hoped to get out of 2013. I wanted to be a better father, and I spent the year learning what that means. I wanted to be a more disciplined writer and I am. I wanted to be a better teacher (both at home and in the workplace) and I am not. I’m inspired by what I’ve learned and done over the past year to be able to take some more steps back towards self-actualization. Here are some of my highlight goals for 2014:
Become a healthier human: I largely kicked the MacDonald’s habit, but regular exercise eludes me. I tried setting nightly goals, but ultimately failed. The plan right now is to do a one month deep analysis of my exercise and health efforts to see what I’m willing to do and where my head is at with these things.
Become a better father: And husband, because the two are intrinsically linked in my life. The things I don’t do as a dad are the things that build animosity in my marriage.
Become a better teacher: The key here is time management (there’s that term again) and follow through. I’m a big ideas guy, but I don’t always plan well enough to execute these big ideas and I don’t always follow through.
Become a more prolific writer: I can do more than 10 minutes. Not for the blog, of course, but if I can generate this much in 10, I can really do big things if I devote the full alotted time to task and go in with a plan of what to write. That fantasy novel i’ve promised the site sounds nice.