wee doors banging

I’ve never really done New Year Resolutions. Well that’s not strictly true, but the best I came up with last year was “eat more cheese” so it might as well be.

I think I know why too; I’m very much a “river person” who “may not have a concrete plan with measurable goals” and is “happiest and most fulfilled when they are wading in a rich river of interest … continually seeking out learning opportunities and new experiences”. Roughly translated, this means my attention naturally wanders about from subject to subject, following whatever is currently interesting me and without an actual goal in mind. The journey itself is the goal, if you like. This is all very well, but it can mean that I find it hard to complete anything significant.

2009 was a mixed bag for me, as I imagine it was for most people. I achieved some success in getting back into cycling, scratched the blogging / writing itch I’d had for a while and churned out a few small projects, but in other ways it was still unfulfilling and a non-starter. When I look back at 2009 I can’t help but wonder: what did I do? Spent a lot of time wading in a rich river of (ephemeral and ultimately transient) interest, I guess.

The start of a new year is a natural time to put the past behind us and think about the notional fresh start that lies ahead. In an effort to give this year a bit more focus than it’s predecessor, while taking into consideration my rivery nature, I’ve followed this advice:

If you’re predominantly a river person, you may want to try brainstorming a handful of goals for yourself, to give yourself a bit more focus and direction. For example, you may want to jot down lists of books you’d like to read, knowledge or skills you’d like to acquire or places you’d like to visit.

I’ve done that, more or less, but the ideas and goals I’ve generated still need to congeal and prioritise a bit in my mind before I commit them to blogpaper. I’ve given myself until the end of the month to let everything self-organise. Stay tuned.