This year was a busy year for me. I had a few accomplishments that made me smile and some places I didn’t quite make the mark.
But more important than that is my plan for making 2017 even better.
Wide Ranging Goals
I had quite a few goals in quite a few categories. There were some key ones that were the most important.
I made sure to spend time with my kids this year. It was my top priority. Even though my sons live in two different states, I made sure to spend at least 5 days a month with each of them and get them all together twice a month. In addition to spending time with them in person, I also spend a lot of time with them online. Overall I surpassed this goal by a mile, spending over 200 days with each of them and, by the end of the year, over 50 with them together.
Additionally, I learned a dozen songs on the guitar, a few on the bass, and I wrote a couple of simple tunes.
I made time with friends and did some volunteer work.
I gained a few pounds during the year, but recovered by the end of the year.
I read over 25 books, wrote over 100 blog posts, and published two books.
I grew my emergency fund and retirement fund.
I even started working on a really big project that I’m super excited about. It uses so many of my key strengths, I’m surprised I didn’t come up with it before. But that’s a post for another day!
More Streaks than a Rock Concert
I also kept a lot of streaks going. I have a goal for how many calories I burn each day and, as of this posting, I’ve met that goal 543 days in a row.
I been writing 20 minutes a day for 307 days straight. I have practiced guitar for 35 minutes 216 days in a row. 30 minutes of exercise: 180 days. 20 minutes of reading: 178 days. 25 minutes of meditation including prayer: 108 days.
The Point, then the Other Points
One of the reasons for this post is obvious: so that I can take inventory of my goals and my accomplishments and see how far I’ve come and what I’ve accomplished.
But the other reason – the reason I post this here – is to show you how much you can accomplish. I am just another person. I have things that make me unique, just like you do, but these accomplishments are within the grasp of basically everyone.
Want to write a book? It’s not that hard. I’ve written three. Did you know that if you only put in 20 minutes a day, you could get about 12,000 words a month written? That’s a lot. And pretty darn easy.
Want to learn an instrument? There are all kinds of tools to help you do it and make it fun.
Want to get in shape? It’s not hard. Just start walking in place for a minute or two while you watch TV. You will be surprised after a few weeks of this how many minutes you end up walking in place for. After a few months you might start walking outside. Then you may start jogging.
Just Take a Step
The point is simple. If you want to make 2017 amazing, just take a step. Just move forward in a direction. Just decide what you want to do and what direction you want to go in, then move forward. Learning is just a book away. Authorship is just a pen stroke away. Playing a beloved instrument is just a music download away. Getting in shape is just a step away.
Just take a step. That’s the direction of your future.
