Goals
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008I’ve made three modest goals for myself this year:
- Lose 75 lbs by Dec 31, 2008
- Write as often and as well as possible
- Relax and declutter my life
Most folks I’ve told these to have told me that #1 was the hardest goal. I think it will be #3. Relaxing, especially when working for a high-profile internet startup, is difficult. The decluttering, however, is very, very broad. Decluttering, to me, means not only physical items, but mental ones as well. Old commitments that have outlived their purpose, new projects that promise to be massive timesinks1…all of these fall into my clutter category.
I think Leah Culver nailed it in her recent post. Easy-going is a worthwhile goal. I wish her luck, and hope some of that rubs off on me as well. We push ourselves so hard to achieve…what? Eyestrain? Stress? An estranged family? It’s not worth it. All the podcasting, coding projects, stock options…none of it is worth it if you are a shell of a person, hollowed out by too much pressure.
Here are some articles that I’d like to pass on, as they’ve helped me clarify some of my own thoughts on the next year:
- Death and Underachievement: A Guide to Happiness in Work
- Beginning the Year with Fresh Starts & Modest Changes
- Re-evaluating Your Online Commitments
Happy New Year, everyone.
My easy rule for new projects is this: Cash on the barrelhead. If there’s not some way that I can better myself financially with the project, forget it. As much as I’d like to believe that I have time for all the cool stuff I’d like to do, the truth is that my time is worth more to me than what most projects can offer. So, then, this is my measuring stick and my dweller on the threshold.[back]
