Happy New Year everyone! I’ve started writing this post about 5 different times before the words I wanted to say actually came to me. This is such a great time of the year as things feel fresh and the whole year is laid out before us as a sea of possibility. I always have that sense that anything is possible and the curiosity compels me forward in ways that don’t always happen at other times of the year.
Capturing this energetic time is important for me as there is always so much I want to do. I used to look at the year as a whole and create my goals and resolutions from there. This year is different. This year I do have some overall goals and as for the word “resolutions,” I’m throwing that out the window. I prefer the word “agreements.” I am making agreements with myself for what I will do and who I want to be. I also divided the year into quarters- not too shocking right? After all the business world has talked in terms of quarters since forever. “By the end of the first quarter I want to…” Something about that feels more manageable to me.
I also stand reminded of another important fact and that is that I do reach goals. The ones that really matter are the ones I pursue: for example, it’s been a little more than 3 years since I started working out on a regular basis. I read an article about Barack Obama working out 6 days a week while campaigning in one of the longest primaries in history and then right into a general election. He did it all while traveling across the country and I realized at that moment the magnitude of importance for taking care of one’s self if one wants to do great things. That was it for me. I hit the gym and I’ve been consistent ever since.
I also didn’t start out that routine with a goal in mind- I just started moving. The running came later. The Half-marathon came even later than that. It was about 6 months before I’d let myself buy a new pair of running shoes for fear that I was not going to stick with it. I fooled my gremlins and kept going.
Taking that as a lesson for other areas of my life, I’ve begun to pursue my work in a different way- particularly around pursuing work that inspires me. The Living Forward Foundation , MobileCoach™, soon to be a true app, and my latest program, the Fast Forward Running Club, are all programs that come from my highest values: health, passion, community, fun, and hope.
So as you take stock of last year, and look forward to a new one, make a note of the things that really matter to you. Is it spending more time with your family for a goal of being a closer tight-knit family? That’s a great goal. It doesn’t matter what your goal is as long as it comes from your deepest desires and longing- pushed forward by a compelling force and pursued with passion. One more thing: have a good time pursuing those goals and share your goals with others. Hint: I’d love to hear what they are.